Tasavur Mushtaq
SRINAGAR
Jammu and Kashmir has 1163 mobile seasonal schools operating across where children from nomadic population study. The centers are established at the location where the nomadic population stays during the summer season.
In an response to question of PDP’s Naeem Akhtar, the government informed the recently concluded sessions of assembly that the students are given free text books besides Rs 100 per child for Teaching Learning Method (TLM).
Though the government says there is no proposal to hike the salary of teaching staff of these centers, but presently they are being paid Rs 4000 every month and they are disengaged after October every year as the population shifts back to their parent districts. Generally the seasonal teachers are engaged from the same community.
According to data provided of 2013-14, in district Poonch there is highest number of centers presently functional, 242, while in districts like Kathua, Leh, Rajouri, Srinagar, there is no seasonal center of education.
In an response to the Mid day meal scheme sche,e being offered at these schools, the government states that despite no functional mobile school in Kathua, the expenditure shown is Rs 2.87 lakhs.
In districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Poonch, no mid day scheme is being offered.
