Jammu, Sept 5: There is a news to cheer about: for thousands of children—who are either out of school or belong  to socially and economical backward sections of the society—the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) is inaugurating the first ever ‘Open School’ in the state after Eid-ul-Fitr.
 The initiative has been taken to achieve the target of 100 percent literacy in the state and ensure secondary and senior secondary education for all the aspirants.
 The school is being opened on the pattern of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to cater to the education needs of the children out of school, school drop-outs and socially and economical backward section of the learner population.
 Sources said the Board has already prepared the syllabus for secondary classes while study material and books are being prepared. “The schools are simultaneously being opened in Jammu and Srinagar in first phase to reach all drop-outs and out of school students by breaking all the physical, mental, economical or geographical or any other barriers,” they said.
 The NIOS was established in 1989 by Ministry of Human Resource Development to cater to the educational needs of those students who cannot bear education expenses despite having a desire to pursue education.
 Sources informed that the Board has identified 55 schools, government as well as private (40 in Jammu and 15 in Srinagar), where the centres of ‘Open School’ are being established.
 “The Board has forwarded a proposal of Rs 2.5 crores to the Centre so that education of all such students don’t suffer on financial grounds,” they said
 Confirming this to Greater Kashmir, Chairman JKBOSE, Deshbandu Gupta said, “The inauguration of the school was delayed due to recent unrest in Kashmir Valley but it is being inaugurated at any time after Eid.”
 He said the project is strived to reach all school drop-outs and out of school students who are either not able to bear the expenses of their studies and leave schools for some other reasons. “The main aim of the programme is to ensure cent percent literacy rate,” he said, adding “The enrolled students shall be provided syllabus and study material, besides Personal Conduct Programme (PCP) shall also be conducted to ensure quality education.”
 Gupta informed that a nominal fee of Rs 1000 shall be charged from the students at the time of admission, while Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students will be given ‘adequate’ concession in fee structure.
 “A high level committee has been constituted to monitor the implementation of the project. Director Academics (JKBOSE) will be coordinator of the project, besides a team of officials will be appointed at each centre of the Open School to ensure quality education,” he said.
 The Chairman however, said that the project is being kicked off for secondary classes from this session and it will also be started for Higher Secondary from next year.

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