The government Saturday revealed in the Legislative Assembly (LA) that around 11,000 school buildings were in dilapidated condition in the state while as 3,000 schools were operating from rented accommodation.
This was disclosed by Education Minister, Syed Altaf Bukhari, while replying to a query raised by NC MLA Muhammad Shafi Uri during the question hour in the House. “Government has 23773 schools out of which 11000 buildings are in dilapidated condition, 3000 schools were operating from rented accommodations in the state,” Bukhari informed the House. He said around 36 schools were without buildings.
The Minister also informed the House that around 8405 vacancies—3600 masters, 4400 teachers, 99 principals and 306 headmasters—were vacant in the department. “But we are trying to fill the posts of principals, headmasters and masters through promotions and also hope that the recruitment agencies expedite the process for recruitment of teachers as well,” the Minister said. “And recruitment of Urdu masters is a priority with the department,” he said.
The Education Minister, meanwhile told the House, that education sector was concern for ruling and opposition members and needs to be fixed.
“I understand the concern of opposition members about vacancies of headmasters which are being managed by interim arrangements by the department,” he said and urged the opposition members to “patiently” listen to him during his reply on grants for the education department.
“We can together make it better,” he told the opposition members in the House who responded with thumping of desks. The minister was responding to the supplementary questions raised by the legislators from opposition parties.
“They (opposition) are right that my department has vacancies but we are working to overcome the problem.”
The Education Minister informed the House that there was no provision of providing compensation to the owners “who provide the land for the construction of school buildings.” “But the government has decided to provide employment to the people who have donated more than one kanal of land and I expect that the process will be expedited,” the Minister told the House.
The education minister said that two high schools in Uri constituency were without headmasters. “32 posts of masters are also vacant in these schools and the services of senior masters are provided to the headless high schools falling in the Uri constituency,” Bukhari said.
About the reasons for not posting headmasters and masters in the schools, Bukhari said the administrative department was constrained by the advisory issued by general administration department (GAD), in light of Supreme Court directions, wherein instructions have been given to keep the slots meant for reserved category employees vacant till the matter is finally disposed of.
“In light of this department is unable to fill the vacancies at different levels including 100 headmasters in Kashmir,” he said.
The education minister also said 622 masters have been recently cleared for confirmation by DPC and vacant positions of masters including that in Uri shall be filled very soon. He informed the Lower House that construction of only 15 buildings under Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) scheme were completed till date by the school education department.
The minister in his written reply said that 16 KGBVs were functioning in rented accommodations while as 57 other buildings were abandoned due to cost escalation over the past many years.
“Out of these 57 KGBVs, 9 buildings have been taken up for construction during the year 2017-18 and work is under progress,” Minister said.
He said the 27 KGBV buildings were not taken up due to cost escalation, however efforts were made to work out the source of additionally of Rs 33.73 crore— Rs 27.63 crore for completion of abandoned KGBV buildings and Rs 6.10 crore for completion of 27 buildings on which work has not been started yet.
Over 11000 Schools run from dilapidated buildings, 3000 from rented places: Govt
