Srinagar, Mar 25: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday acknowledged challenges in the education sector, citing a shortage of teaching staff.
The minister responsible for school education confirmed that no teacher recruitments have occurred in the past five years due to a freeze on General Line Teacher positions, following a 2018 decision by the State Administrative Council (SAC).
Responding to a question from MLA Dr Shafi Ahmad Wani during the Assembly session, the minister confirmed that the School Education Department has received requests for the upgradation of several schools in Budgam District, including Middle School Mazahama, Girls Middle School Kanihama, Middle School Rassu, Middle School Charangam, S.K Pora, Rathson, and Aripathan.
However, the minister indicated that there are currently no immediate plans for upgrading these schools, as many have already undergone improvements. The department is prioritising the establishment of necessary infrastructure and staffing for all schools, particularly those that have recently been upgraded.
“The education department is facing a shortage of teaching staff due to the inability to recruit teachers over the last five years, stemming from the freezing of General Line Teacher posts as per the SAC decision of 2018,” the minister said.
The minister further said that upgrading schools entails significant financial commitments for infrastructure development and staffing, necessitating approval from the Finance Department.
“Given the current financial constraints in Jammu & Kashmir, securing necessary funds for such upgrades is not feasible at this time. Additionally, the upgradation process must adhere to established criteria and standards. Nonetheless, the minister assured that when the department is ready to propose school upgrades, the aforementioned schools in Budgam District will be taken into consideration,” the minister said.
