By RAJA SHAFQAT SHEIKH
The Jammu and Kashmir state is having its boundaries with other countries and states of India in which majority of population is living in rular and mountainious regions . As most of rular regions students remains illiterate due to negligence of Higher authorties and state government . As the majority of rural education and rural infrastructure in the
schools is still lives in villages. People living in rural areas do realize the importance of education but poverty does not allow them to send their children to private schools and hence they are left with no choice but to remain dependent upon government schools only resulting the fact they failed in board exams as they had not got their education in proper way.
Jammu and Kashmir having 72.62 % of people living in the rural areas of the state while 27.38% people live in urban areas.
There are number of reasons for the low literacy rates in the
rural areas of the border state, “One of which is poor infrastructure in the schools”. Several surveys and reports have shown that there are several issues in the elementary education in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir including poor school
infrastructure. Most of the schools in villages lack proper infrastructural facilities. Students have to sit on the floor due to non availability of furniture. The school building lacks doors and windows and even do not have proper drinking water and toilet facilities.
Majority of the Government schools lack basic infrastructure like toilets, washrooms, playgrounds , furniture, libraries etc. Many Government schools run out of rented buildings, often in dilapidated shape. Poor infrastructure continues to mar the performance of Government schools.
“Lack of Proper Infrastructure”
Educational infrastructure in schools means suitable spaces to learn which include adequate
infrastructure, sufficient space, construction methods that ensure the safety of children in school suited to natural hazards of the
region, adequate separate sanitary facilities for boys and girls and for staff, adequate electricity etc. Inadequate infrastructure in schools is a big barrier to enrollment and participation. The over-crowded spaces lacking in adequate sanitary facilities and lacking water for hygiene not only result in dropouts but also have health implications. Girls in particular are pushed out of school if facilities are inadequate.
“Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan” (SSA), A campaign for universalization of elementary education was launched in J&K State in the year 2002-03. The state of J&K has been following a policy of providing primary school within a radius of one km. However, the distance norm has been relaxed by the State from 1 km to 0.5 km in the habitations located on hill slopes, small habitation cut off by Nallah / Streams from the habitation having schooling facility, habitations separated by National Highway / Busy Road, habitations located in forest area.
Construction of school buildings in J&K State is one of the most challenging tasks under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan as the State has varied topography, harsh climatic conditions, inaccessible and far flung areas . The construction of school buildings is carried out through “Village Education Committees” and funds are released by State Project Director to Chief Education Officers who in turn release the funds in favour of school authorities. Work is allotted by Zonal Education Officer in favour of Village Education Committee. The payments are made to VEC by school authorities at various pre determined stages. The school authorities are assisted by Assistant Engineer and Junior Engineers.
For improving educational standards in the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir and particularly in Chenab Valley, there is immediate need to address the lack of adequate infrastructure in rural schools.
New building should be be construed on modern pattern and these should have improved sanitary facilities, particularly for girls students. Overcrowded classrooms can be reduced by building additional classrooms in existing schools. However, to check the corruption in the civil works in the schools under SSA or RMSA or even State Government projects, community participation should be the only means of undertaking any civil works in improvement of school facilities.
School Infrastructure shuld to be under taken by School Management Committees (SMC) or equal bodies. Before start of construction community/members of SMCs need training and can be imparted at cluster/block level. There has to be a
complete transparency and accountability in the funds received and community contribution received to be accounted and transparency
maintained through daily expenditure register daily cement register and site order book. There has to be an adequate and intensive supervision for civil
works at three levels – block level, district level and state level so as transparency shall apper in work. Civil works under SSA should start with a proper assessment of the infrastructure requirement for each district. The attempt should be to find out the minimum money required to provide adequate infrastructure to each school including repairs, toilets, drinking water, boundary wall, etc. Provision of additional
classrooms is to be considered only after exploring possibility of repairs and double shifts. Educational infrastructure has a lot of impact on the educational process and to a lesser extent
outlining block to educational disparities. Good infrastructure can play a big role in education for
development and increasing literacy rate. The availability of infrastructure elements such as type and conditions of classes, availability of toilets, electricity, library, computers, playground plays a significant role for improving the best learning environment. Good infrastructure is truly at the base of quality education and thus stress has to be laid on providing good infrastructural facilities in the schools of rural regions of state and particularly in Chenab Valley .
( The author State Secretary All India Reporter’s Association Jammu and Kashmir / Incharge Media Cell JK Against Corruption and can be reached at shafqatsheikh00786@gmail.com / 09419974577 , 09018920786 .)
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