Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 3: Highlighting the importance of adapting new technological interventions and effective use of social media to provide better interface to the stakeholders, the Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar stressed on being more responsive to improve the education scenario in the State .
The Minister was speaking during his visit to Sri Ranbir Higher Secondary School today. He was accompanied by the Minister of State for Education, Information and Culture Priya Sethi.
The Minister said that the demands for revamping the education system to meet the cutting edge competition is growing which reflects the enlightenment of the people towards importance of education.
The Ministers inspected the ongoing developmental and refurbishing works being carried out in the institution which is being developed as the model school. Deputy Commissioner Jammu Simrandeep Singh, Director School Education Smita Sethi and senior officers of the Education Department were present on the occasion
Director School Education apprised the Minister about the ongoing works to improve infrastructure and allied facilities for laboratories and smart classes.
Mr Akhtar visited the various blocks and took stock of the facilities. He also visited the library of the school and showed keen interest in the rare collection of old books and directed the concerned to sort out these rare books and put them on display for the students and general public. He also visited the newly set up resource room in the school for the specially abled children.
The Minister also laid emphasis to connect to the alumni of this prestigious historical institution through social media which would help recollect reminiscences about the school and provide a better interface to communicate and collaborate for betterment of the institution and the education system.
Minister of State for Education, Information and Culture Priya Sethi, who has adopted this model school, asked the concerned officers to take up the works on war footing and ensure modern facilities are provided to the students.
Later, the Ministers also visited Higher Secondary School Sunjwan and took stock of the facilities being provided to the students.
Mr. Akhtar stressed on taking up developmental projects for rural schools under the convergence programme of various line departments especially under MGNREGA. He also exhorted upon the legislators to adopt schools in their respective constituencies which can be developed as model schools with modern educational facilities.
Minister maintained that consolidation and rationalization process will help to streamline the functioning of the department and emphasized on making strenuous efforts to increase enrollments in the pre primary classes which will help to groom the students during these initial stages.
Deputy Commissioner suggested that biometric attendance can be introduced in schools for effective monitoring, to which the Minister directed for installing biometric devices in the SRML school to start with.
He also directed Director School Education to take detailed reviews of the performance of the schools in all the districts and chalk out effective mechanism to make rational use of manpower available with the department to deal with the paucity of staff.
During his visit to the primary school Trutta Talab, the Minister inspected refurnished pre-primary classes and expressed satisfaction over increasing enrolment in primary levels.
Meanwhile, Akhtar took serious note of the casual approach adopted by the teachers at BHSS Gandhi Nagar, who had skipped checking the homework of the students on regular basis.
During visit to the school, he directed the Chief Education Officer of Jammu to visit the school after a week to personally monitor the progress made by the teachers in improving the quality of education at the school.
“The casual approach of teachers will not only affect the students but the future of our state as well. Teachers must realise that they have a bigger role in shaping our society. They must change their attitude towards their jobs,” the Minister said.
He also directed the authorities to setup one “Smart Classroom” for the benefit of the students at the school.
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