4830 schools without buildings

Jammu: Notwithstanding the claims of the government about massive infrastructure development in education sector by pumping crores of rupees, 4830 educational institutions across the state are without buildings. The startling figures have come to fore in the latest Economic Survey tabled by the government in the Legislative Assembly.
The survey says that 4119 primary schools, 628 middle schools, 76 high schools and 7 higher secondary schools are without buildings and are being run from rented buildings or by internal arrangement. Apart from this, 984 upgraded institutions are deficient in accommodation, which include 611 high schools and 373 higher secondary schools.
Figures further reveal that 474 primary school buildings are in dilapidated condition with 28 upper middle schools without any building at all, while 52 primary institutions lack drinking water and toilet facility.
Likewise, 541 middle schools, 125 high schools and 101 higher secondary institutions lack drinking water and toilet facility, while 68 high schools and 7 government higher secondary institutions are being run in rented buildings.
It further reveals that only 75 per cent teachers at primary level in the state are trained as against national average of 89 per cent.
The report also reveals that as per the NCERT Report (2003) on assessment of Class-V student achievements, the learning achievement in Mathematics and Language at primary level in J&K is 36.3 per cent and 49.6 per cent respectively as against the national average of 46.5 per cent in Maths and 58.57 per cent in Language.
About 51 Model Cluster Schools have been made functional while out of 79 sanctioned Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhlyas (KGBV), 78 have been made operational till date.
The survey says that though with the expansion in educational facilities the number of literates has increased but the rate has not been able to keep pace with the increasing population. “In absolute terms, the number of literates has increased from 3.93 lakh in 1961 to 45.16 lakh in 2001 and further to 61.65 lakh in 2008,” survey says.
Analysis of the progression of the Literacy Rate during 2001 census and 2008 survey results reveals that Urban Males have highest literacy rate (83.15 per cent) while rural females are least literate (52.70 per cent). “The analysis also shows that during these years the literacy among females is at a disadvantageous position than their counterparts. It is also prevalent that urban areas have much literacy concentration than rural areas.”