Srinagar, Aug 23: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Saturday took over the management of the 215 schools linked with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) amidst sharp criticism by most political parties in the valley, even as Education Minister Sakina Itoo asserted that these educational institutes will only be looked after till the new managing committees are formed.
The process for the takeover of the management of the schools began on Saturday morning as officials of district administrations, principals of the respective nearest high and higher secondary schools, accompanied by police teams, reached these schools, the officials said.
The administrative teams took charge of the schools, checked their documents and the infrastructure and interacted with the staff, they said.
The drive was conducted across the 10 districts of Kashmir “peacefully and smoothly”, without disturbing the education of the students, the officials said.
The School Education Department had on Friday ordered the takeover of 215 schools affiliated with JeI and its Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), where over 51,000 students are enrolled, in order to “safeguard their academic future”.
The move drew criticism from political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including PDP, People’s Conference, Apni Party and JeI-backed Justice and Development Front (JDF) J-K.
Amidst the backlash over the order stating that the managing committee of the schools shall be taken over by the District Magistrates/ Deputy Commissioners, the Education Minister on Saturday went on the defensive, claiming that the issued order was not what she had actually approved, and called it “distorted”.
The order was issued by the Secretary, Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma, an IAS officer who reports to the Lieutenant Governor under the Union territory set-up in J-K.
Hinting at a possible interference, Itoo said the order was “wrong”.
The minister said she had approved a draft order that stated the schools will be looked after by the principals of the nearest higher secondary schools, and not by the deputy commissioners as mentioned in the issued order.
She also said the schools will be looked after by the government only until a new management committee is formed.
Pointing out the necessity of the government move, the Jammu and Kashmir education minister said the management committees of these 215 schools had received “negative” CID verification six to eight years back and their terms had expired, as such, the schools were left in the lurch. (PTI)
