The J&K government Sunday said that the decision about the economic revival of private schools would be taken only after the committee submits the recommendations to the government.
The statement comes in the wake of accusations of the Private Schools Association J&K (PSAJK) that the government initiative for reviving private schools was a mere “eyewash”.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Commissioner Secretary General Administration Department Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said that the government would give a reminder to the committee to submit its recommendations for revival of the private schools.
“We will give a reminder to the committee because their recommendations are necessary to take any decision about the revival of the private schools,” Dwivedi said.
As already reported by Greater Kashmir, the government in November constituted a high-level committee for the revival of the private educational institutions in J&K.
The committee headed by the Advisor in-charge of School Education and Higher Education Department as its Chairman was entrusted to examine in detail problems confronted by private educational institutions in J&K on account of suspension of academic activities owing to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
The Administrative Secretary of School and Higher Education Department and a representative of the Finance department are the members of the committee.
As per the order, the committee was supposed to make appropriate recommendations in the matter within a period of 15 days.
President PSAJK Ghulam Nabi Var said that the government was delaying implementation of its decision to revive economic conditions of private schools which faced huge financial losses for the past two years.
“The budget private schools are on the verge of closure because of the financial losses they faced during the closure of educational institutions post August 2019 and during the COVID-19 outbreak,” he said.
G N Var said around 38 budget schools were run by females in different districts but 12 schools faced financial losses and got closed.
“There are dozens of other private schools which are on the verge of closure due to financial losses,” Var said.
However, Commissioner Secretary GAD said that the committee might have done some deliberations on it but they have not received the final recommendations yet.
“Once the committee submits its report the government will take some decision about it,” the GAD Commissioner Secretary said.
He also acknowledged the delay in submission of the report by the committee.
“This is true that there has been a delay in it,” he said.