Recognition to Private schools in flood prone residential colonies in Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir Valley exposed during NEET examination last Sunday is in itself a violation committed by School Education Department and just giving legitimacy to this violation the J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) has granted affiliation to such schools. The NEET examination held last Sunday has brought to light the huge compromise of both School Education Department and as well as J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) in granting recognition and affiliation to such schools. Allegations are galore that dozens of students missed the NEET examination only due to delays in reaching the examination centres at private schools located deep inside flood prone residential colonies where internal link routes are still waterlogged. Even the authorities responsible for selection of NEET examination centres at private schools situated in flood prone residential areas of Srinagar city and major towns of Kashmir Valley owe lot explanations to both the NEET aspirants and as well as their parents. Knowing that schools in low lying areas had to be closed for one day due to water logging of the approach routes only last week, the authorities could have relocated the NEET examination centres at some other schools not falling in the flood prone residential areas. Finally it is not only the violations both the School Education Department and as well as J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) have committed in granting recognition and affiliation to private schools situated in flood prone residential areas but even the wisdom of the parents who seek admissions for their children in schools located in flood prone areas also comes into question.
“Since the location of schools in flood prone areas exposed by the NEET examination last Sunday has brought to light the huge compromise both the School Education Department and as well as J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) show in granting recognition and affiliation to private schools, administrative wisdom demands the none else than the Chief Secretary himself takes a serious note of the violations committed by both the School Education Department and as well as J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) for the purposes of the relocation of private schools from flood prone residential areas to safe and secure places.”
When concern for quality education comes next to safety of children, the safety of the children becomes the priority for the parents in any part of the world and same holds good for the people of Jammu & Kashmir. Unfortunately parents are seen compromising the safety of their children over the quality education by seeking admissions in private schools located in flood prone areas residential areas and henceforth parents too need appropriate counselling for admission in private schools. The authorities of School Education Department should also keep in mind the fact that when parents don’t care about the safety of their children, the onus of making the travel of children and environment for them inside schools safe lies on the Government. Since the location of schools in flood prone areas exposed by the NEET examination last Sunday has brought to light the huge compromise both the School Education Department and as well as J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) show in granting recognition and affiliation to private schools, administrative wisdom demands the none else than the Chief Secretary himself takes a serious note of the violations committed by both the School Education Department and as well as J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) for the purposes of the relocation of private schools from flood prone residential areas to safe and secure places.