Authorities today booked 11 private schools and seized 14 buses ferrying students for not following the Administration Department's order for closure of educational institutions from May 21 to 28 in view of heat wave conditions in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.
"A total 11 schools have been booked (for violation of government order for closure of educational institutions from May 21 to 28 in view heat wave conditions)", Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said.
"Fourteen buses of three major schools were also seized by ARTO as these were found ferrying students. The students were safely accompanied to their residences," he said.
Choudhary led a team of officers which carried out surprise inspection of 16 private schools after inputs were received about schools being run in violation of the order.
Around 10 other schools were inspected by Additional Deputy Commissioner A S Rana and five of them were found open.
"A number of schools closed the classes after news of surprise inspection spread in the city," he said.
The schools were earlier directed by the district administration to adhere to a directive of Administration Department regarding closure of schools from May 21 to 28, he said, adding, students have alleged that they were forcibly called to school despite the order.
The managements and staff of all the private schools assured the administration for strict adherence to government orders regarding closure of schools, he said.
A helpline number 272727 has been released by the district administration for registering any complaint by parents, students or any stakeholder in the matter, he said.
On the delay in disbursement of salary of teaching staff
under RMSA and SSA, the minister said delay in release of funds to the department in the year 2014-15 resulted in huge salary arrears of Rs 600 crore being carried over to 2015-16.
The Centre agreed to release these salary arrears but there was still a shortfall in release of central share 2015-16 amount to Rs 3.84 crore under teacher salary despite the state having provided full matching state share, he said.
Under RMSA, the delay in disbursement of salary is due to non-receipt of recurring grant from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, he said, adding the salary has been cleared up to April 2016 under RMSA.
The minister said the Centre had sanctioned 19 new model schools in the state during 2009-10 but no steps were taken by the state up to 2014-15 for establishment of these model schools.
The scheme was withdrawn by the Centre in April 2015 and the state was asked to refund the Centre's share already provided, he said.
Akhtar said the state, on its own, as a step towards quality education launched the Chief Minister's Model School Scheme during 2015-16 for overall development of government schools.
A total of 144 high and higher secondary schools across the state were selected under the scheme, he said, adding while 73 such schools were selected from Kashmir region, 67 were selected from Jammu region.
Four such schools were selected from Ladakh region, the minister said.
He said the highest number of 16 schools were selected from Jammu district, followed by 12 each from Anantnag and Baramulla and 10 from Kupwara.
Under SSA, the minister said 99 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (residential schools) have been sanctioned, he said, adding all but two - one in Kharu in Leh and another in Kishtwar - are functioning smoothly.
