JK govt takes over schools linked to banned JeI amid criticism

Srinagar, Aug 23 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Saturday took over the management of the 215 schools linked with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) amidst sharp criticism by most political parties in the valley, even as Education Minister Sakina Itoo asserted that these educational institutes will only be looked after till the new managing committees are formed.

The process for the takeover of the management of the schools began on Saturday morning as officials of district administrations, principals of the respective nearest high and higher secondary schools, accompanied by police teams, reached these schools, the officials said.

The administrative teams took charge of the schools, checked their documents and the infrastructure and interacted with the staff, they said.

The drive was conducted across the 10 districts of Kashmir "peacefully and smoothly", without disturbing the education of the students, the officials said.

The School Education Department had on Friday ordered the takeover of 215 schools affiliated with JeI and its Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), where over 51,000 students are enrolled, in order to "safeguard their academic future".

The move drew criticism from political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including PDP, People's Conference, Apni Party and JeI-backed Justice and Development Front (JDF) J-K.

Amidst the backlash over the order stating that the managing committee of the schools shall be taken over by the District Magistrates/ Deputy Commissioners, the Education Minister on Saturday went on the defensive, claiming that the issued order was not what she had actually approved, and called it "distorted".

The order was issued by the Secretary, Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma, an IAS officer who reports to the Lieutenant Governor under the Union territory set-up in J-K.

Hinting at a possible interference, Itoo said the order was "wrong".

"It is a wrong order, I accept that. The order has been distorted. It is not our order," she told reporters in Anantnag district in south Kashmir.

The minister said she had approved a draft order that stated the schools will be looked after by the principals of the nearest higher secondary schools, and not by the deputy commissioners as mentioned in the issued order.

She also said the schools will be looked after by the government only until a new management committee is formed.

Pointing out the necessity of the government move, Itoo said the management committees of these 215 schools had received "negative" CID verification six to eight years back and their terms had expired, as such, the schools were left in the lurch.

"The career of the children was in the dark. They were facing difficulties at the time of the Board exams, they were in distress. Students and people used to approach us regularly as they faced problems at the time of board examinations. The Board (J&K Board of School Education) did not accept them.

"So, the Education Department decided that the nearest cluster principals would look after these schools," she said.

Brushing aside the criticism, the minister said the government has not banned or closed such schools.

"The order is that if the managing committees are formed in three months, and their verifications come, then the schools will be handed over to them.

"If the people from the village where the school is located form a managing committee tomorrow and their CID verifications come, we will hand over the school to them immediately," she added.

The minister said she had sent an approved note of the order to the secretary, asking him to frame the order accordingly. However, that has not happened, she added.

When asked if the secretary had done so deliberately, the minister said, "You should ask him".

A teacher at one of such schools in south Kashmir's Anantnag district praised the government move.

"I think it is a good step. We used to face a lot of difficulties, but now I think everything will be streamlined," Mohammad Ishaq, teacher at Hanfia Islamia Institute at Tachloo area of the district, said.

He said the district magistrates used to frame the managing bodies of the schools in the 1980s as well.

The BJP's J-K spokesman, Altaf Thakur, welcomed the government's decision and described it as a much-needed intervention to ensure that young minds are shielded from separatist narratives.

Thakur said the takeover was in the national interest, as it would ensure a positive and secure learning environment for thousands of students.

However, several political parties in the valley slammed the order and called for revoking it.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti hit out at the ruling National Conference (NC), accusing it of "implementing BJP's agenda" and "bringing an established educational system to the brink of destruction".

"It is unfortunate that they are going against their own people and implementing the BJP's agenda," she told reporters here.

"Why take over the schools? When they were not taken over in the LG rule, why now in the popular government?" Mufti said.

The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J-K appealed to Education Minister Itoo "to stand up for her own people" and cancel the order.

Justice and Development Front (JDF) J-K -- formed by the former members of the banned JeI -- denounced the government move, saying it was an administrative overreach and a "painful reminder" of the NC's "history of betrayal".

It "strongly" urged the authorities to revoke "this arbitrary ban" and ensure that every child in J-K has access to uninterrupted education.

Peoples' Conference chief and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone too targeted the NC, saying no anti-Kashmiri action was possible without Kashmiri partners.

He called the move an act of "unimaginable servility".

Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari said rather than assuming direct control, the government could have exercised its authority by establishing clear regulations to safeguard the academic future of students enrolled in these institutions.

"Enforcing a ban in terms of taking over the management of these schools was neither necessary nor justified," Bukhari said on X.

The Apni Party chief demanded that the government immediately cancel its decision. PTI SSB RT RT