Directorate gets tough on private schools in Jammu

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 15

Following criticism for being lax towards private schools in the Jammu province by granting them permission, recognition and extension without verification, the Directorate of School Education has finally started taking strict measures to streamline the process.

There are more than 5,000 private schools in the state and of them, 2,276 are in the Jammu division.

Sources said a majority of the schools affiliated with the J&K Board of School Education lacked safety certificates such as the fire safety certificate, building safety certificate and the chemical safety certificate.

The school safety certificate is to be issued by the public works department while the fire safety certificate has to be issued by the fire and emergency services department. The chemical laboratory safety certificate is to be issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.

The sources said the school directorate had tightened the noose and made it mandatory for all private schools to get all necessary certificates from the authorities. Without the certificates, their cases will not be considered.

“A few days ago, 14 private schools, including eight from Kathua district, four from Rajouri district and one each from Samba and Ramban districts, were granted new permission or recognition,” an official of the directorate said.

“In fact, a number of schools had applied for permission, recognition but only 14 were considered fit for the same as they had all mandatory certificates.

“The cases of private schools of various districts in the Jammu region are also being considered by the committees constituted for the purpose before granting them permission, recognition or affiliation,” the official said.

The private schools granted permission or recognition by the directorate are Vivekananda Public School, Balijarallah, Rajouri, Mohindra Elite Institute, Ward No. 14, Kathua, Sarswati Public School, Barnoti, Kathua, Shiv Shakti Public School, Billawar, Kathua, Bright Career Public School, Dogani, Rajouri, Tagore Public School, Lamberi, Rajouri, Pir Jahan Shah Memorial Gulshan Public School, Budhal, Rajouri, Narindra Modern Academy, Ghagwal, Kathua, Public School Thara Karwal, Kathua, Bai Vidyala Sawan, Kathua, Sarswati Vidya Mandir, Parnalla, Kathua, Amar Jyoti Academy, Hiranagar, Kathua, Amrit Sidh Academy, Barnoti, Kathua, and Mahomodia Model School, Ramban.

Have no safety certificates

• There are more than 5,000 private schools in the state. Of them, 2,276 are in the Jammu division
• A majority of the schools affiliated with the J&K Board of School Education lack the fire safety certificate, building safety certificate and the chemical safety certificate