Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Jan 6: The Government-run schools in the Union Territory of J&K continue to lag behind in terms of facilities such as having Computer Labs at secondary level, libraries and Computer Aided Learning (CAL), NITI Aayog’s report on School Education Quality Index (SEQI) has revealed.
With regard to CAL, the SEQI has recorded that in J&K that there are only 3.9 per cent of such elementary schools where the facility is available.
Pertinent to mention here, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) developed and operationalized a CAL program under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme, with the objective of integrating computers into classrooms as a learning tool, intending to take the classroom education to level next.
The report stated that Bihar, Tripura, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh had CAL in fewer than five percent of their elementary schools.
“In 2016-17, only four States and UTs employed CAL in more than 50 percent of their schools at the elementary level. Among them, Chandigarh and Lakashdweep recorded the highest percentages of 76.7 and 75.6 percent respectively,” the report stated.
With regard to having a library, as per the NITI report, not all but the students of only 64 per cent of schools in Jammu & Kashmir have a luxury of facility equipped with all the requirements. Notably, as per Right to Education Act norms, each school is mandated to have a library with newspapers, magazines and subject-specific books for all students.
“As of 2016-17, 21 States and UTs have a book bank/reading room/library in more than 90.0 percent of their schools. However, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya reported that only 28.4 and 12.4 percent of their schools respectively have such resources,” reports said.
Coming to the percentage of Secondary Schools with computer lab facility, the report stated that J&K has 38.3 per cent of such schools which are equipped with the facility at the secondary level. The percentage, which, as per the report has decreased from the earlier percentage (2015-16) which was recorded as 47.7
“Reference year data shows that only 10 States and UTs have been able to provide computer laboratories in more than 50 percent of their secondary schools. Among them, Lakshadweep and Dadra & Nagar Haveli have reported the highest percentage of schools with computer lab facilities; 84.6 and 81.0 percent respectively,” the report revealed.
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