Srinagar, August 23 : A day after the Jammu and Kashmir government on issued an order to take over the management of 215 schools affiliated with the banned Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) and Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), PDP President Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday questioned the timing of the move coming at a time when a popular government has been elected in the Union Territory.
“Why are they (J&K government) taking over them (management of schools affiliated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami)? From the past 8 years, when there has been no take over, why today when a popular government has been elected…They are playing with the sentiments of people, education system. This is not right…,” Mufti told ANI.
According to the government order, the Managing Committee of the 215 schools will be taken over by the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner concerned, who will propose a fresh Managing Committee in due course after getting the schools duly verified.
The decision comes as the validity of the Managing Committee of these 215 schools has expired and has been reported adversely upon by the Intelligence Agencies, the order said. With an aim to safeguard the academic future of the students enrolled in these schools, the government has taken the decision in exercise of the powers conferred by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir through the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Rules 2010.
The order asks the District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner to take appropriate steps in consultation and coordination with the School Education Department to ensure that the academic career of the students enrolled in these schools is not affected in any manner.
They are also required to ensure quality education as per the National Education Policy (NEP) norms in these schools.
However, Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader and MLA Reyaz Ahmad Khan said that the order does not align with the government’s “intention” as the Education Minister Sakina Itoo earlier said that principals of the nearby schools would run these schools.
“In this, the government’s intention is something else, and the order says something else. The education minister (Sakina Itoo) herself has clarified in one of her social media messages that her proposal was that the administration of these schools would be run by the nearby principals until their verification. But the government’s order regarding this has come. The government is looking into it,” the JKNC leader told ANI. (ANI)
