Jammu: Private Schools association of Jammu (PSAJ) has condemned the behaviour of some third party actors of the society who with their deeds and statements are hell-bent to derail the education sector which is already reeling under the challenges of COVID.
The Association said that the current times are challenging for every section of the society and everyone is doing his or her best to cope up with the situation. “Our education sector has been one of the worst affected due to the COVID but despite such a situation the government and private stakeholders joined hands to rescue the future of education sector from further damage,” said Shilpa Mahajan president PSAJ. “However even in these times there are some people who unnecessarily raise voices against the schools, teachers and education policies. It has become a habit for them to malign every humble effort we take to help the students.”
The Association said that the current situation demands a unified approach to tide over the crisis but some people are instead trying to amplify the crisis. “If we see closely the amount of policy intervention and work done in education sector during this time has been tremendous. Principal Secretary Asghar Samoon has been at the forefront of efforts to start community classes, to move deadwood from education department, to simplify rules and regulation and provide succour to students and parents,” said Mahajan. “Who would have thought that the admission fee in private schools will be abolished which saved crores for the parents. The directions have already been passed to schools to give their due share of reservation for poor students and there are many more initiative in line.”
The Association said that even government schools are being equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities to give quality education to students. “Be it private or government schools, the change is visible everywhere. Our aim is to utilise the time to our best to accelerate educational reforms, but some people are not happy with it,” said Mahajan.
The Association said that it has become a habit of some so-called third party actors to interfere into the affairs of education department for no apparent reason. “Our schools, teachers and principals are being harassed. Non-issues are being raked and turned into controversies. Even government officials in education department are being targeted for their good work. It seems these third party actors do not want the education sector of Jammu and Kashmir to flourish,” said Mahajan. “After the abrogation fo Article 370 we dreamed of reaping the benefits of landmark schemes like Right to Education but these unscrupulous elements are creating roadblocks everywhere. They are not allowing us to work.”
The Association appealed the office of Lieutenant Governor and education department to take appropriate legal action against such elements. “Previously we filed case against such third party actors but now government need to take action on its side so that there is no hindrance in its way to develop education sector in J&K,” said Mahajan.
JKCCA Show of Gaytri’s Paintings concludes
Jammu: An Online Exhibition of Paintings of Gaytri, a painter from Hoshiarpur (Punjab), organized by Jammu & Kashmir Centre for Creative Arts (JKCCA), Jammu, which was inaugurated online on 13th September, 2020, concluded Saturday. Thirty one paintings in water, oil and acrylics medium were displayed in the exhibition. The exhibition was dedicated to Late Chander Shiva, Gaytri’s artist brother.Gaytri’s paintings deal predominantly with Nature, its flora- n- fauna and its habitats like animals and birds etc. She is at ease in an environment which merges her content, technique with her natural depiction- Nature. The paintings depict the day to day life situations and faiths of the common people and elements of Nature around etc.
According to O P Sharma, Director, JKCCA, ‘Keeping in view the Covid- 19 Pandemic situation, the only option to carry on organizing art & cultural activities online.’ Gaytri has been active in the field of art and has been regularly participating in national and international art exhibitions and camps. She has participated in International and National Art Exhibitions at Amritsar, Ferozpur, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Guwahati, Chandigarh, New Delhi and Hoshiarpur. She had been honoured by/ awarded with Swami Nirvikaranand Saraswati Gold Medal and University Medal (as Topper in MA Fine arts), 2004, Gold Medal in Abhinandan’s All India Painting Competition and Art Exhibition at Chandigarh, 2016, Highly Commedable Award in Annex Group Exhibition, Patiala, 2015 and Special Award in all india art exhibition of Indian Academy of Fine arts, Amritsar, 2019. She is one of the consultants appointed by Jammu & Kashmir Centre for Creative Arts (JKCCA), Jammu. Presently, she is teaching art at Govt. College, Hoshiarpur (Punjab).
