Ganderbal, Aug 09: Additional Secretary Education, Riffat Jabeen on Saturday lauded the intelligence, enthusiasm, and overall development of students in remote areas, during a mass Parent-Teacher Meet (PTM) at Boys Higher Secondary School (BHSS) Kullan in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.Speaking to Rising Kashmir, she said it was a “big opportunity” for her to attend the programme organised by BHSS Kullan. “I was surprised and impressed to see that students in these remote areas are so enthusiastic, intelligent, and well-groomed. The schools here are well-developed, and the holistic development stressed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is visible here,” she said.Comparing rural and urban institutions, the Additional Secretary noted that city schools often have better facilities, yet students in remote areas are performing remarkably well. “These children deserve equal opportunities and more encouragement. Regular PTMs should be held to strengthen the connection between parents and teachers,” she added.Riffat praised the stalls and exhibits set up by the students, calling them “impressive” and urging that such programmes continue in rural areas. She appealed to parents to take responsibility for sending their children to school regularly. “Our teachers are hardworking, and the department stands with the students every time,” she said.On the issue of staff shortages in some schools, Jabeen assured that the Education Department has already taken cognisance. “Rationalisation at the CEO level is underway to address subject-specific vacancies in schools,” she informed.Earlier, the Education Department Ganderbal and DIET Ganderbal organised mega PTM programmes at the cluster level under NEP-2020 at various government institutions, including Govt Higher Secondary School Gund, MS Ramwari, and Girls Hr. Sec. School Ganderbal, with participation from students of nearby schools.Chief Education Officer (CEO) Ganderbal, Oneel Kumar, said the campaign is being conducted at the cluster, zone, and district levels in government and registered private schools. “We request parents to support our teachers in making this campaign a success,” he said.Principal DIET Ganderbal, Manzoor Ahmad Najar, said the initiative is aimed at creating awareness among parents regarding NEP-2020. “I will personally visit every school in the district to ensure moral and ethical values are inculcated among students,” he added.
