Kishtwar : To bolster mainstream education for the children of Gujjar and Bakarwal communities, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Dr Devansh Yadav on Saturday led a special interactive camp at the Government Middle School (GMS) Gorna, Zone Nagseni.
The focus of the camp was on the Out of School Children receiving preparatory education and training as part of the Back to School initiative 2.0.
The event witnessed the presence of key officials including Chief Education Officer Prehlad Bhagat and ZEO Nagseni Nizam-ud-Din, along with the dedicated staff of the Special Training Centre for Scheduled Tribe OoSCs under the Back to School phase 2.0.
Commenced in 2023, the Back to School initiative in Kishtwar has achieved notable success in enrolling children, particularly from the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities. Building on this progress, the Back to School 2.0 phase aims to further integrate left out OoSC into mainstream education.
At GMS Gorna, a Special Tribal Centre (STC), operational since December, is designed to align left out OoSCs with mainstream education in the region.
The Deputy Commissioner hosted a special interactive camp for parents and dropout children, emphasizing the importance of education for long-term benefits.
During the camp, the Deputy Commissioner personally engaged with OoSC students and their parents, motivating them to prioritize education.
He assured parents of financial support and scholarships in collaboration with the Labour Department, Education Department, Tribal Samaj Sudhar Committee, and other stakeholders. Additionally, 100 Mandays under MGNREGA will be prioritized for parents sending their OoSC to schools, he added.
The Deputy Commissioner also enquired from the Students about the facilities being provided to them in the Special Training Centre, upon which the students showed satisfaction.
In a moment of excitement, Deputy Commissioner Dr Devansh Yadav, alongside CEO Kishtwar and ZEO Nagseni, distributed Digital Notebooks to 50 enrolled Gujjar Bakerwal -OoSC in the Special Training Centre at GMS Gorna.
Beyond the camp activities, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar addressed grievances from ST parents and the local community regarding infrastructure and public service delivery. He assured timely redressal of genuine issues and committed to forwarding necessary directions to the concerned authorities.
In a subsequent meeting with the Tribal Samaj Sudhar Committee members, the Deputy Commissioner discussed critical issues concerning the empowerment of the Gujjar Bakarwal community in the district. The meeting delved into strengthening the committee, enhancing School Management Committees in ST-populated schools, and ensuring the regularisation and punctuality of OoSC in schools.
The Tribal Samaj Sudhar Committee members affirmed their support for the decisions and initiatives proposed during the meeting.
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar emphasized the proactive role of the committee in community empowerment through education.
The committee members also expressed appreciation for district initiatives like Hello Kishtwar IVRS, facilitating easy grievance redressal for the ST population. They lauded the district administration’s effective and prompt handling of ST issues and prioritized initiatives for the education of the downtrodden.
