Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 13: Notwithstanding the tall claims of the School Education Department, the implementation of the Kasturba Gandhi Ballika Vidyalayas (KGBV) in Leh district paints a depressing picture and indicates that those at the helm of affairs in the department give much importance to the raising of infrastructure than ensuring its use for the targeted section.
Under the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme, the schools are sanctioned for the educationally backward blocks and having female literacy below national average and the gender gap in the literacy is above the national average.
According to the data of School Education Department, out of the four KGBVs approved for Leh district by the Union Government, the first Vidyalaya was sanctioned at Nobra in 2004-05 and it was completed at a cost of Rs 30 lakh in 2007-08. The second KGBV sanctioned for Nyoma in 2007-08 was completed in 2008-09.
Despite repeatedly mentioning in the official records during the past several years that these two KGBVs have been completed, the Education Department authorities never bothered to see whether these two completed KGBVs have actually been serving the targeted population. Interestingly, none of these two KGBV buildings were put to use by the students ever since their completion and the schools were still running in the crammed private accommodation due to which the enrollment remains far from satisfactory.
The building of Vidyalaya at Nyoma remained unused for several years and recently it was found unsafe. Presently the case is under investigation with the State Vigilance Organization (SVO) and the students enrolled for this KGBV are being imparted education in shabby and congested private accommodation. Similarly, the Vidyalaya building at Nobra could not be put to use for want of power and electricity connections and boundary wall etc, reports available with EXCELSIOR said.
The other two KGBVs were sanctioned for Durbuk and Kharu in 2010-11 but despite the lapse of over two years, the construction of buildings has not been taken up and under the prevailing situation nobody knows when proper accommodation for students of these KGBVs will be ready.
As far as construction of KGBV building at Durbuk is concerned, there was dispute among people of the area over the site while as the Village Education Committee (VEC) of the Kharu area has stated that there was no need of such Vidyalaya in the area.
“The Nyoma and Nubra KGBVs buildings, which could not be put to use during the past several years, should be an eye opener for those at the helm of affairs in the Education Department to ascertain as to how many KGBVs buildings shown completed across the State are actually being used by the students”, sources said.
“The Education Department authorities should not boast of only financial and physical status of KGBVs and begin an exercise across the State to check on ground status of such Vidyalayas”, they stressed, adding “what purpose such unused buildings will serve when students have to get education from inadequate private infrastructure”.
The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) scheme was launched by the Government of India in August, 2004 for setting up residential schools at upper primary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas. Initially, it ran as a separate scheme, but was merged with the SSA programme with effect from April 1, 2007. The SSA State Implementation Society is the implementing agency of the KGBV at State level.
When contacted, Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Simrandeep Singh confirmed that out of four sanctioned KGBVs only two have been completed but without being put to use. “Unlike Nyoma KGBV, the building of Vidyalaya at Nobra was found safe and accordingly the concerned MLA Tsetan Namgyal and NHPC were approached for financial assistance for carrying out some minor construction works in order to make use of this KGBV building”, he added.
He disclosed that by making use of Rs 4 lakh financial assistance each from MLA under CDF and NHPC under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) shortcomings in the KGBV building were rectified and on the International Girl Child Day on September 11, 2013 the students were shifted from private accommodation to new and spacious accommodation.
About the Durbuk and Kharu, the Deputy Commissioner said, “as far as Durbuk KGBV is concerned, the site dispute will be resolved within next one or two days following which the construction will begin. However, the administration is in the process of taking decision vis-à-vis Kharu KGBV in the light of VEC stating that such a Vidyalaya was not required in the area”.
Despite repeated attempts, Secretary, School Education Department, Hirdesh Kumar could not be contacted for his comments on this grave issue.
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