27% govt schools sans playground

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 16

At a time when the states and Union Territories are making efforts to ensure maximum involvement of government schoolstudents in physical activities, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is lagging behind as it lacks playgrounds.

As per data, 27.3 per cent schools in J&K have no playground available for students to take part in physical activities.

Only 56.6 per cent schools have playgrounds, while 16.1 per cent schools have the playground facility outside the premises.

Sources said 17,112 schools in J&K are without playgrounds. Of them, more than 5,000 government schools are in the Jammu province. To make things worse, around 46.5 per cent schools have no physical education teacher, while only 23.4 per cent schools have a physical education teacher.

However, 41 per cent government schools have a physical education period in the timetable, while 32 per cent schools have no physical education period and no dedicated time has been allotted.

In 27 per cent government schools, there is no physical education period despite provision of allotment of dedicated time for the same.

Sources further said due to the non-availability of playgrounds in government schools, the students were deprived of taking part in physical activities.

“The ‘Fit India Movement’ launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 for fitness of schoolchildren by participation in many activities is also not been able to gather momentum in J&K schools due to the non-availability of playgrounds. The activities are to be undertaken by the institutes in coordination with the youth services and sports department with the involvement of other stakeholders,” said a school education department official.

“As far as the Jammu division is concerned, around 6,81,833 students are enrolled in 12,354 government schools while the strength of students in 2,816 private schools in the region is 4,38,115,” the official said.

Sources further said the Central government had time and again stressed playground facilities in government elementary, secondary and higher secondary schools for better physical development of students but the

successive governments in J&K were least bothered about it.

“It is unfortunate that the Central government is supporting the authorities for creation and augmentation of infrastructural facilities, including playgrounds in government elementary and secondary schools, but no serious efforts were taken by successive governments in J&K,” the official said.