Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 30: Director State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Professor Parikhshat Singh Manhas, today had an exclusive maiden meeting with Principals of Kashmir Division’s District Institute of Education and Training (DIET).
The meeting, which took place in the SCERT auditorium at Bemina, was attended by all 10 Principals from various DIETs.
Seeking analysis report regarding Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Challenges (SWOC) from the DIET Principals to revamp the SCERT brand, he asked for a fund utilization report of the previous financial year and took serious note of funds that had not been utilized.
“Each penny counts when it comes to building a strong education system,” Professor Manhas said. “I urge the DIET Principals to provide a detailed report on fund utilization of the previous financial year so that we can identify the areas where we need to improve and avoid any wastage of resources in future, he added”
Cautioning against deliberately lapsing funds, he emphasized the collective responsibility to ensure that allocated resources are put to their best use.
To ensure proper utilization of funds, Professor Manhas asked the concerned to draw calendars for various activities in advance and send them for his perusal beforehand.
Professor Manhas assured the provision of staff to the SCERT and DIETs purely on merit basis and pledged to remove the tag of SCERT and DIETs being considered “dump yards.”
Asking them to gather manpower and orient them in such a way that productivity is increased and isolationist behaviour discouraged, he emphasized that his job was to facilitate the work, while the onus lies on each head of the DIET.
Extremely emotional on the subject of “Toycathon”, Professor Manhas urged them to make the event a grand success by ensuring maximum participation of students including those from the private schools.
“Sponsored by organisations like Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Microsoft, and Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited, the event is scheduled to begin between 10th and 15th May and end on either 5th September or Kalam Day,” he informed.
Pertinently, Toycathon is an innovation challenge, launched by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to create toys and games based on Indian ethos and values.
Professor Manhas emphasized the importance of providing textbooks to private schools, and suggested that the Government should offer discounts or delivery options. He also requested that private schools use only the textbooks recommended by JKBOSE (Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education) to prevent students from being overburdened.
Stressing the need for a synergy between the SCERT and JKBOSE, he asked the DIET Principals to help build and maintain a collaborative approach at all costs.
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