Says no one can deny National Conference’s pivotal role in expanding education in Jammu and Kashmir
Ehsaan Yousf
Srinagar, 01 Jul: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference senior leader and Minister for School Education, Health and Social Welfare Sakeena Itoo Wednesday said that strengthening, modernising and revitalising the education system is among the foremost priorities of the present government. 
She stated that like several other sectors, education in Jammu and Kashmir suffered significantly after 2019, but the present people’s government, formed with a strong public mandate, has initiated serious efforts to restore the sector and address its shortcomings.
She made these remarks while interacting with a delegation of the Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir, led by its President, Nazar-ul-Islam Baba. The delegation also included the district presidents of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal. During the meeting, the two sides held detailed discussions on issues concerning the private education sector, including educational standards, policy matters and other related concerns. The delegation also submitted a memorandum highlighting its demands and grievances.
Sakeena Itoo assured the delegation that the government would sympathetically consider all genuine demands of the private education sector and take prompt and effective measures wherever feasible.
She said the people of Jammu and Kashmir are well aware that after 2019, almost every sector in the region was gradually weakened. Public access to government offices became limited, people’s grievances remained unheard and there was an absence of public representation in decision-making. She added that, by the grace of Almighty Allah and with the overwhelming mandate of the people, a democratic government came to power and immediately prioritised the revival of institutions that had suffered due to years of mismanagement, while also correcting several ill-conceived administrative decisions.
The Education Minister said that an undemocratic and bureaucracy-driven system had caused irreparable damage to the education sector. She noted that the unjustified alteration of the academic calendar had created widespread confusion, affecting students, parents and educational institutions alike. One of the first decisions of the present government, she said, was to restore the October–November academic session to safeguard the academic future of students.
She further stated that the government has undertaken several initiatives to improve the quality of school education, upgrade educational institutions, strengthen infrastructure and advance educational reforms. Examinations are now being conducted on schedule, and results are being declared within the stipulated time frame.
Highlighting another significant achievement, Sakeena Itoo said the passage of the Private Universities Bill by the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly marks a historic step that will open new avenues in higher education, attract investment and provide greater access to quality education for the youth within the region.
The Minister emphasised that the National Conference has played a historic role in promoting education in Jammu and Kashmir. She said that when the party’s founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, assumed leadership of the erstwhile state, the literacy rate stood at only six per cent. Through initiatives such as free education, mobile schools, the establishment of schools, colleges and universities, and continuous educational reforms, the literacy rate has today crossed 82 per cent. She added that successive National Conference governments have consistently treated education as a top priority and laid the foundation of a strong educational infrastructure whose benefits continue to be visible.
Sakeena Itoo also observed that private educational institutions have become an integral part of the education system and play an important role in delivering quality education. However, she stressed that private schools must strictly adhere to the prescribed laws and regulations while providing modern, quality and value-based education, and continue to uphold the trust reposed in them by parents.
She reiterated that the present government is committed to making the education sector stronger, more transparent and more modern by working in partnership with all stakeholders so that every child in Jammu and Kashmir has access to quality education and equal opportunities.
