Jammu, Apr 18: Director School Education Jammu (DSEJ) Dr Ravi Shankar Sharma conducted an extensive tour of the Lohai-Malhar region of Kathua district to assess the problems being faced by students of Government High School Lohai Malhar in particular and the area in general. The development comes days after a video of a girl child of Government High School, Lohai, requesting the Prime Minister to improve the infrastructure of the school went viral on social media.
Later, the Director School Education visited the Government Higher Secondary School, Machedi, where a 100-bedded hostel for girls is under construction by the Samagra Shiksha.
Kamal Kumar, BDC Chairman; Parkash Lal Thappa, Chief Education Officer, Kathua; Dy CEO, Kathua and ZEO, Malhar accompanied him. He inspected the ongoing works in Government High School, Lohai which included three Additional Classrooms, Arts and Crafts room, Computer Room, Library, CWSN toilet, etc. at a cost of more than Rs one crore.
While interacting with the students, BDC member, sarpanch, retired educationists and local people, he informed that immediate instructions have been passed on to the concerned for completion of the incomplete building and redressal of issues in terms of academic and infrastructural gaps in the schools falling in this far-flung area.
He disclosed that the projects which are under various stages of completion in the school once completed will give impetus to education in this far-flung area bringing in new heights of accomplishment for students and the public in general. It was also disclosed that some works including tiling of the old block, whitewashing and upgrading of toilets have been completed.
The DSEJ assured that the government is well aware of the education needs of such far-flung areas and has taken up several projects in the area for providing the best education to the students of the area and reducing the dropout rate, especially that of female students.
It was informed that a 50-bedded residential school for girls, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) has been made functional at Bajoi.
Similarly, a 100-bedded Girls Hostel, with an investment of about Rs 3 crore is coming up at Machedi. The progress in the distribution of free textbooks, uniforms, scholarships and mid-day meals was also reviewed. He exhorted that all the students, including those living in such far-flung areas, should take full advantage of the facilities being provided by the government.
