Govt hasn’t taken over FAT schools: Education Minister

Srinagar, Aug 22: Minister for Education Sakina Itoo on Friday said that the government had not taken over the management committee of FAT schools in Kashmir.

In an exclusive conversation with Greater Kashmir, Itoo said that after the formation of the National Conference (NC) government, the parents, along with the students, approached them with the concerns that the managing committee of these schools had “expired”, leaving the career of the students at stake.

The statement comes after the Secretary School Education Department (SED), in an order issued on Friday, said that the managing committee of the 215 FAT schools would be taken over by the concerned Deputy Commissioners, “who shall propose a fresh managing committee in due course for the concerned schools after getting these duly verified.”

The education minister said that after the NC government was formed, parents and teachers approached with the concern that the career of their kids were at stake as the verification of the managing committee of around 221 schools was not given by the CID.

“The verification of the managing committees of these schools was negative and was kept pending. This created a problem for the students at the time of their registration for the 9th to 12th exams. Their forms were not issued by the Board of School Education,” Itoo said.

She said that around 51,363 students were enrolled in these schools whose careers were at stake, as the validity of the managing committee of FAT schools had already expired.

“To save the career of the children, we decided that the principal of the nearest higher secondary school will look after these FAT schools as in-charge of these schools,” Itoo said.

However, she said that the teachers, students, and the buildings would be the same, while the principal of the nearest higher secondary school would look after these institutions.

“The file approved by me has clearly mentioned that the principal of the nearby higher secondary school will look after these institutions. But in the order issued today, it has been wrongly mentioned that DCs will take over the managing committee. This is not mentioned in the file approved by me,” the education minister said.

She said that the decision to give the look-after assignments to the principals was taken as the validity of the previous managing committee of these schools had expired.

“The look-after arrangement will remain in place for only three months, after which a review will be taken in this regard. A new managing committee will be formed and will be sent to CID for their verification,” Itoo said.

She said that the decision to look after these schools for three months had been taken in view of the problems faced by the students of these schools during the exams for the Board of School Education.

“The government has not taken over these schools. Our principals will look after these institutions till new committees are formed. The tenure of previous committees has expired, and their CID verification was negative. People should not get confused with the government’s decision,” the education minister said.