Disappointed with the J&K government’s indifferent attitude towards the private education sector, the Joint Committee of Private Schools (JCPS) – an amalgam of various private school associations from Jammu and Kashmir has approached the foreign educationists and academicians to deliberate on action plan to improve the education sector in the J&K state.

The committee has roped in education experts and academician in India and foreign countries to join hands and deliberate on the prevailing education scenario in the State.

This was stated by the Chairman JCPS Showkat Choudhary during a short press briefing in a local hotel here.

He said JCPS is holding an Education Conclave at SKICC on Wednesday wherein the foreign educationists will discuss on new modalities of education which are currently in vogue in other countries as well.

“The conclave will highlight issues of disparity and other challenges faced by the schools in Kashmir. Outside Kashmir the private schools are flourishing but problems have cropped up in Kashmir due to various reasons. All such issues will be raised in the conclave,” Chairman JCPS said.

He said the academicians and education experts will deliberate on how private education sector in Kashmir can incorporate the same methods in our schools.

“Education sector in Kashmir has taken a back seat and is lagging behind as compared to the private education scenario in Jammu region which is flourishing day by day,” he said.

He said Private schools in Kashmir were always in news over issue of charging fee, distribution of uniform and transportation but the education is not confined to these issues only. “We have roped in foreign academicians and educationists who will discuss the current scenario of education sector in India in General and Kashmir in particular,” Choudhary said.

He said the private schools impart education to 60 percent of the student population in the state. “Private schools cater to 80 percent of population in towns and we want to find out how and what we can transfer to the public system,” he said.

He said the model for Public Private Partnership (PPP) will also be discussed in the conclave. “PPP is best for rejuvenation of the government schools. We want the education revolution to be inclusive,” he said.

Stating that government should recognize the role of the private education sector in improving access and quality in school education he said the authorities in present dispensation should encourage more robust policies that support and promote collaboration between the private and public sectors to address the needs of our children.

“We are not against government schools but we want government to consider private schools part of the education sector as well. Let government include our teachers for the training programmes they conduct in DIETS per year,” he said.

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