INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE: Affiliation of 14 teachers training institutes cancelled

INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE
Affiliation of 14 teachers training institutes cancelled
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 31
After inviting criticism, the state Board of School Education (BoSE) has started conducting surprise visits to keep a check on improper infrastructure in private Elementary Teachers Training (ETT) institutes across the Jammu region.

The board cancelled the affiliation of 14 ETT institutes in Kathua, Samba and Jammu districts for inadequate infrastructure last evening. “During inspection, these ETT institutes were found to have inadequate infrastructure. The institutes had been warned earlier, but did not comply with the orders and failed to fulfil the criteria. Hence, we finally cancelled their affiliation,” said RP Gandotra, joint secretary, BoSE.

He added 10 institutes in Kathua and two each in Samba and Jammu districts were disaffiliated with immediate effect. “Now, these institutes will have to upgrade their infrastructure, if they want fresh affiliation from the board,” Gandotra said.

He said they had received complaints against some ETT institutes for flouting norms. He added, “Any institute running without adequate infrastructure will not be spared. The new chairman of the education board has shown keen interest in plugging the loopholes in the existing system.”

BoSE sources said the action was taken on the direction of Minister for School Education Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed.

The state has become a hub of private ETT and B.Ed colleges and a large number of students from neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh and New Delhi take admission here. These institutes reportedly offer admission to students on an assurance that they need not attend classes. This has made the institutes popular among the students.

The courses offered by these institutes are valid in other states and after clearing the examination, one can apply for the post of government teacher in his/her state. At present, about 40,000 students are enrolled in such institutes.Of them, 90 per cent are from other states.