Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 8: Minister for Education, Naeem Akhter has called for innovative measures to further streamline functioning of the Education Department. He said accountability and transparency at different levels is must to achieve the tangible results.
While taking a detailed review of overall education scenario in the State at a high-level meeting of officers, the Minister directed the officers to put in their serious efforts to improve the standard of education. He stressed the need for a coordinated approach to achieve the common goal and directed for optimum use of resources by rationalizing the staff strength as per the actual requirement.
He called for a detailed report about the deployment of teaching staff and enrolment of students in the schools. “The teaching staff has to be posted in schools strictly as per the actual requirement besides curbing practice of idleism, said the Minister.
With a view to get the teachers abreast with innovative things, the Minister directed for their regular trainings and refresher courses in different institutions. The training is a very important component and it must be held on regular basis. It was decided that the first batch of in-service teachers shall be deputed for undergoing B.Ed course from IGNOU from this year. The Directors School Education, Kashmir and Jammu will personally ensure the training courses of the teachers on regular basis. Besides, the State Institutes of Education and District Institutes of Educations will work out the annual schedule for trainings of the undergraduate teachers, the Minister asserted.
While reviewing the status of various on-going projects under SSA and RMSA, the Minister directed the concerned Project Directors to speed up the efforts to complete the projects in a time bound manner. He stressed the need for ensuring quality of works strictly as per the specifications and guidelines, besides strengthening the monitoring mechanism.
Commissioner/Secretary Education, Shaleen Kabra, gave a detailed resume of the overall functioning of the department and steps initiated to further improve the education set up across the State. He also briefed about the status of various on-going infrastructural projects under SSA and RMSA. He assured the Minister that all out efforts would be made to achieve the targets well within time schedule.
Among those present in the meeting included, Director School Education Jammu, Simrandeep Singh, State Project Director, SSA, S.A. Laharbal, Project Director, RMSA, Tariq Ali Mir, Additional Secretary, Education, Mohammad Farooq Dar and other concerned officers of the department.