Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 12: Governor N.N. Vohra today chaired a high level meeting with Minister for Education Altaf Bukhari, Vice Chancellors of Kashmir based Universities and Education Department administrators at Raj Bhavan here to review adherence to educational schedules and protection of students from involvement in law and order incidents.
The Governor reiterated his concern that the educational interests of the entire student community must be vigorously promoted and safeguarded and, under no circumstances, should the future careers of the student community be allowed to get exploited or jeopardized in any manner. In this context, he recalled the severe academic losses suffered during the prolonged agitations in 2016.
Education Minister, Vice Chancellors and other participation spoke about the factors which had contributed to the involvement of students, even girls, in the recent protests and offered suggestions regarding the actions which need to be taken.
Vohra stressed the responsibility cast upon the Vice Chancellors and Faculties in the Universities, and Principals and Teachers in Colleges and Schools, in counselling the students and effectively ensuring against any unhealthy influences adversely affecting the teaching schedules in all the educational institutions. He urged the Education Minister to ensure stepping up all required initiatives for providing sound counselling to students and enhancing meaningful interactions between the teachers, students, parents and even the local police officers. He advised the Vice Chancellors and their Faculties to visit the affiliated colleges and assist the Principals and the teaching staff to connect with the students, understand their demands and difficulties and ensure against any confrontational situations arising.
The Governor observed that it is the collective responsibility of the State Education Department, educational institutions, students, parents, civil and police administration and the society at large to guide the youth, provide meaningful outlets for their expressions and enable them to understand arising situations.
He emphasized the importance of sports and extra-curricular activities and advised the School and Higher Education Departments to frame an annual calendar of activities for organizing inter-school, inter-college and inter-university sports meets, debates, trekking and picnic trips, excursions and educational tours etc. He suggested the Universities to also consider screening high quality films and documentaries in their Universities.
He advised the Vice Chancellors to devote close attention to identifying educational and training courses which have a high employment potential in the existing and emerging job markets. They must critically examine the employability potential of all existing courses, so that the passing out students do not remain indefinitely unemployed, he said.
In this context, he urged the Education Minister to utilize the forum of Vice Chancellors to secure a harmonious approach to setting up new courses in every institutions with adequate critical assessment.
Bukhari apprised the Governor about the steps already taken by the School and Higher Education Departments and the initiatives personally taken by him to see that students at all levels are protected from involvement in law and order incidents.
Vice Chancellors apprised the Governor about the academic environment in their respective Universities and the measures taken by them to ensure the welfare of their students.
Prof. Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi, Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir; Prof. Nazeer Ahmed, Vice Chancellor, Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology- Kashmir; Prof. Mehraj-ud-Din, Vice Chancellor Central University of Kashmir; Prof.(Dr.) A.R. Dar, Director NIT Srinagar; Dr. Sheikh Javid, Vice Chancellor Cluster University Srinagar. Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, Secretary Higher Education Department; Dr. Renu Goswami, Director Colleges; Ms. Shabnum Kamili, Director Technical Education Department; Dr. G.N. Itoo, Director School Education, Kashmir; Masrat ul Islam and Additional Secretary School Education participated in the meeting.
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