*Says there shouldn’t be compromise on quality education
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 3: Son of the soil and Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice T S Thakur today broke down on witnessing the pathetic condition of one of the oldest schools of Jammu city which otherwise has produced many distinguished personalities and has people including the present head of the Apex Court as its alumni.
Chief Justice of India, who arrived here today to attend a function organized at the Central Basic Higher Secondary School, Purani Mandi, could not control his emotions on witnessing the pathetic condition of the institution where he had his schooling.
Soon after his arrival, he visited classrooms, library, laboratory and other sections of the school and was astonished to see wretched condition. Actually, the management of the school obviously on the directions of higher authorities of the School Education Department wanted to take him to those sections of the school which were renovated recently but the Chief Justice of India caught them by surprise by visiting the classrooms, library and laboratory, which paint the gloomy picture of neglect of this one of the oldest schools of Jammu city.
Justice Thakur was shocked to see the broken desks, lack of adequate number of books in library and lack of test tubes in the laboratory of the school although every effort was made to give facelift to the Central Basic Higher Secondary School on the directions of Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar and Minister for Rural Development and Law and Justice, Abdul Haq Khan during their recent visit to the school.
The Chief Justice of India broke down while addressing the gathering which comprised some of his school mates and teachers and said, “I am happy as well as astonished on my visit to this school, which has the distinction of producing distinguished personalities”, adding “I am happy as I have been given the opportunity to meet my teachers and school mates but I am shocked to see the pathetic condition of this one of the oldest schools of Jammu city”.
“While country progressed immensely during the last 50 years, this school paints a gloomy picture and tells a tale of neglect”, said emotionally surcharged Justice Thakur said, adding “I think condition of this school was better when I was the student. The classrooms were better at that time, the desks were not broken at that time but today the school is in wretched condition”.
He further said, “keeping in view the pathetic condition of this school I doubt whether this institution will be able to produce more distinguished personalities if steps are not taken to upgrade its infrastructure to meet the requirement of students”, adding “the story is not of just one school but of various educational institutions which need to be upgraded with latest equipments, smart class rooms, digital library, laboratories and well educated teachers to ensure maximum growth of the students”.
“No doubt Jammu and Kashmir faced turmoil during the past more than 25 years and the successive Governments faced challenges but there cannot be any compromise on education”, he said, adding “education is the only means for progress without which no society or State can progress”.
Pointing towards the incidents of burnings of schools in Kashmir valley, the Chief Justice of India said, “in one part of this State some forces are trying to deprive the youth of education by setting ablaze educational institutions so that they can be lured for anti-national activities while in Jammu the schools have been neglected”.
Stressing on the importance of education and extracurricular activities in the overall development of the students, Justice Thakur hoped that outlook of education will change for better in Jammu and Kashmir. He also urged audience to recognize the lead role that the teachers play in child development and asked them to remember to acknowledge their contribution.
Making mention of Central Basic School and Ranbir Higher Secondary School, he said that these educational institutions, which helped to shape many students into successful persons in their chosen professions, are not just the heritage of the State but hold extreme importance in the development scenario and every effort needs to be made to ensure that these schools don’t end up as parking lots or commercial complexes.
He assured to make every possible effort to give back to the institution that shaped his career and said, “there are several corporate houses in the country which under Corporate Social Responsibility are extending help in the education sector and they can be approached for betterment of Central Basic School”.
On the occasion, the CJI felicitated the teachers of his time and remembered their role, contribution in helping him realize and develop his potential to the fullest.
Chief Justice of J&K High Court, Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar, Justice R Sudhakar, Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Law and Justice Abdul Haq Khan, Minister of State for Education, Technical Education and Culture Priya Sethi, MLA Jammu (East) Rajesh Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Simrandeep Singh and Director School Education, Babila Rakwal were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Rural Development Minister, Abdul Haq Khan said that efforts are being made to bring educational institutions at par with the national standards. “The growth and development of education needs to be taken in a mission mode plan for efficient, effective and uniform growth across the State”, he said.
MoS Education Priya Sethi in her address said that plans are under way to adopt this school under the model school program to streamline its development.
Various cultural programs were presented by students from multiple educational institutions on the occasion.
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