May 02

Suhail Dar

Ridiculing the lofty claims of the Jammu Kashmir Government and the School Education Department, a Government girls middle school in Islamabad (Anantnag) township is a perfect example of Government’s callous approach towards Kashmir’s ailing education sector.

Located at the Shirpora area of this South Kashmir township, the school is functioning in a large hall partitioned with ply boards, Also without a playground and has been awaiting own building.

This school depicts a grim picture of education sector in the state.

Elders from the locality told The Kashmiriyat that the school was established in 1947, and since then then It has been working in various rented accommodations.

“It was shifted to a Auqaf building but in 2017 the building was declared the unsafe after which the building was demolished, since then the School has been functioning in a private building,” a Local told The Kashmiriyat.

With total staff of 10 members for a strength of 55 Students, The Government School had rented a big Hall which has been converted into 6 compartments separated by ply sheets, four of them are used as classrooms, one chamber is for the office and another for a staff room.

“The school is lacking a Playground and other basic facilities, the school has never seen any development since its establishment,” a local told The Kashmiriyat.

The Kashmiriyat contacted the Chief Education Officer of Islamabad(Anantnag) in this regard who said that the issue has never come to his notice.

“We will try to address the issue as soon as possible,” adding that the department will identify land for the school and construct a building for the school