CM says Government, parents and teachers must share responsibility for shaping future of J&K children
Srinagar, Aug 25: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the Jammu & Kashmir Government would continue to pursue the issue of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), while stressing that improving education outcomes requires a shared responsibility among the Government, parents and teachers.
Addressing a one-day Education Conference organised by the J&K Teachers Forum at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), the Chief Minister said the responsibility of shaping the future of children could not be placed on teachers alone.
“We will try to address it but with the hope that we will improve the education of J&K students,” Omar Abdullah said while referring to the TET issue.
The conference, themed “Child is Our Priority”, brought together educators, researchers, policymakers and teachers to deliberate on challenges confronting the education sector and the way forward.
Omar Abdullah said teachers play a crucial role in determining the future of children, but placing the entire responsibility on them would be unfair and add unnecessary pressure to an already demanding profession.
Reflecting on the changing nature of teaching, he said the challenges faced by teachers today were significantly different from those encountered 10 or 20 years ago.
He said children were growing up in an environment dominated by smartphones, social media, multiple television channels and artificial intelligence, making it increasingly difficult for teachers to capture and retain their attention.
The Chief Minister also acknowledged that teachers were frequently assigned responsibilities beyond classroom teaching, including preparation of students for cultural programmes, commemorative events, Nasha Mukt Bharat campaigns and election-related duties.
He assured the teaching community that the Government would address their genuine service-related and professional concerns, including transfers, Departmental Promotion Committees (DPCs), vacancies and other issues.
“If you have problems with transfers, if you have problems with DPCs, if you have problems with vacancies, if you have problems with other things, then we have to solve those problems,” he said, adding that he and Education Minister Sakina Itoo would work together to resolve the issues.
Omar Abdullah also highlighted the difficult conditions faced by teachers working in remote and rural areas and called for greater attention to their needs.
“It is not easy to provide education in the remote schools of the village. It is difficult to work there,” he said.
He pointed to disparities in the distribution of teachers, noting that some city schools have more teachers and fewer students, while remote schools continue to face shortages.
The Chief Minister said infrastructure deficiencies and vacancies were responsibilities of the Government and should not be placed on teachers.
“There are gaps in the infrastructure. We talk about smart classes, but how far have we been able to take them?” he said, noting that some schools were still functioning in rented accommodation or unsafe buildings.
“Strengthening your hands so that you can do your work properly is the responsibility of me and my colleagues,” he said.
He urged teachers to help children identify their aspirations and prepare them to contribute positively to Jammu & Kashmir.
Omar Abdullah said Jammu & Kashmir had made considerable progress since 1947, but the pace of global change was accelerating and the education system needed to prepare children for a rapidly changing future.
“We have progressed a lot from 1947 to today. But the world is changing very fast,” he said, stressing the need to equip children with the skills, confidence and values required to contribute positively to Jammu & Kashmir.
The Chief Minister said the responsibility for educational transformation was shared between the Government and teachers.
“It is all for J&K. And it is not your responsibility alone,” he said.
“You will only be able to succeed if we succeed. If we fix your situation, if we improve the school, then you will improve the future of your kids,” he added.
He also assured teachers that the Government would not leave them alone to deal with the challenges of educational transformation.
“Don’t think that we have given you all the responsibility, that you do it and we leave. That won’t happen,” he said.
Minister for Education Sakina Itoo and Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani also addressed the conference and highlighted the pivotal role of teachers in society. They outlined various initiatives undertaken by the Omar Abdullah-led Government since assuming office, including the reversal of the winter session in the Kashmir Valley and winter zones of the Jammu division.
MLA Beerwah Dr Shafi Ahmed Wani, MLA Khansahab Saifuddin Bhat, Director School Education Kashmir Naseer Ahmed Wani, Chief Education Officers, Chairman J&K Teachers Forum Mohd Shafi Rather, office-bearers of the Forum and a large number of teachers attended the conference.
