In order to review the functioning of Education Department, Minister of State for Education Priya Sethi today convened a meeting with officers of the department. Stressing on utilizing IT tools for effective management in the department, she directed for establishing online communication channels between different functionaries and also called for making the biometric attendance compulsory, besides linking Aadhar data of the employees. She said that online communication reduces time gaps and ensures prompt decisions. “To fine tune the department with modern day expectations of students as well as employees we need to promote use of IT based tools in our system,” she added. She also called upon the authorities to start Smart Classes in the schools and the same should be put to other uses such as language labs, adding that vocational training under Skill India needs to be promoted at school level. Underlining commitment of the Government to provide better education facilities to students, the Minister said that the Government run schools have best human resources and committed teachers clubbed with modern education infrastructure would definitely ensure positive change in the education scenario. During the meeting, deliberations were held related to delay in uploading of data into the Mid-Day Meal web portal, reconstitution of monitoring committees at zonal levels for proper monitoring of MDM scheme, submission of tour diaries by the CEOs on regular basis and staff statement of all cadres. CEOs were also directed to personally monitor litigations in their respective jurisdictions. CEOs were further directed to hold discussions with the Principals of the schools where the result is below 20 percent so that the reasons behind the poor performance of the schools can be ascertained and appropriate measures taken to improve the results in future. The Minister also directed them to check that the private schools affiliated with State Board of School Education provide 25 percent seats to poor and needy students. She asked the CEOs to submit monthly progress reports of various physical and financial achievements under Sarv Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyaan (RMSA), Swachh Bharat Swachh Vidyalaya, status of temporary toilets in schools, requisition of text books for free supply to children under SSA and feasibility report of opening of new primary schools under the scheme. In the meeting, Priya Sethi also enquired about the progress in conducting screening test of ReTs and regularization of those who have obtained degrees through distance mode from Jammu University, Kashmir University, IGNOU and MANNU. Among others, Director School Education Jammu Smita Sethi, all CEOs of Jammu Division, concerned officers were present in the meeting.
