Srinagar, June 18: The government’s move to ban Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT) schools will impact the education of only 1900 students whose studies are being taken care of, an official said Saturday.
The government is planning to shift the affected lot to the nearby government schools to continue their studies.
As per the official document, the data produced by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) and J&K Board of School Education (BOSE), only 22 FAT institutions have been affected by the government order wherein the J&K Board affiliation was withdrawn from the schools. “Around 12 schools were closed before the issuance of the order,” the official document reads.
As per the official figures, around 1915 students would be affected by the government decision.
However, the authorities have planned to enroll these students in nearby government schools.
“From Monday onwards, special camps will be organised for admissions of these students in designated nearby schools. Their admission and academics will be duly taken care of in a mission mode,” the document reads. “Care is also being taken to give additional masters and lecturers to these schools.”
A top official said that further decisions regarding other similar schools would be taken after taking into account all factors.
The government because of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the J&K Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1983 has already banned FAT organisation as an unlawful association.
“Around 11000 students reportedly studying in these schools were allowed to take admission in the nearby government schools and till now around 900 teaching and non-teaching staff in FAT schools have been absorbed in the department as well,” the official document reads.
It said that while examining the status of FAT schools it was found that despite the ban on FAT organisation, the association was still running some institutions “illegally” on the pretext of the order of the High Court.
“An interim direction requires the authorities concerned to allow the students to appear in the examination. The direction shall remain in force till a decision is taken by the government. However, it will be obligatory upon the petitioners to represent to the government in writing within three months failing which the writ petition will be deemed to have been dismissed and interim direction vacated,” read the court directions as quoted in the government order.
In light of the court orders and subsequent orders, around 11 schools were issued Registration Return Forms for the students of the schools run and affiliated with FAT and students enrolled in these institutions were allowed to sit in the examination as well.
“All the formalities of these students were completed which were required for the conduct of examination, declaration of the result of the students and authentication of certificates,” the document reads.
However, a top official said that the case needed to be examined by the School Education Department (SED) in consultation with the Law Department.
“After examination of the issue, the SED on June 13 issued Order No 1580-Edu of 2022 to ban these schools. All the students presently studying in these banned institutions were asked to admit themselves to nearby government schools for the current academic session- 2021-22,” the official said.