Minister for Health and Education Departments, Sakeena itoo today said that the government is de-freezing 50 percent of teaching posts in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Minister was replying to a question raised by Legislator Javaid Iqbal in the Legislative Assembly today.

She said that the recruitment of teachers would address staff shortage in schools and facilitate better education to the students, enrolled in government schools.

The Minister said that the government is taking massive infrastructure development of schools under SAMAGRA to provide adequate and all basic facilities to the students in all schools.

“Elected representatives are consulted for prioritizing infrastructure development in their areas,” the Minister said.

Sharing details, the Minister said that there are total 917 positions of including Principals, Lecturers,  ZEOs, Headmasters, Masters and Teachers in Budhal out of which 484 are in position and 433 positions are vacant.

She said that the 67 Government Schools in Budhal Constituency are functioning without their own buildings, out of which 33 Schools buildings are approved/sanctioned during the years 2024-25 & 2025-26 under Samagra Shiksha. The remaining buildings shall be proposed under the subsequent actions under Samagra Shiksha, UT/District Capex in a phased manner.

While as 115 number of school buildings in Budhal Constituency have been declared unsafe aftermath recent flash floods

Further, the Minister said that 26 number of teachers are posted in “Aspirational Block” Khawas in Budhal Constituency during recent ATD.

The Minister said that the overall PTR in Rajouri District is 15:1 and the PTR in Budhal Constituency is 24:1, which is within the prescribed National norms of 30:1. He said the shortage of staff is being addressed through rationalization to maintain the PTR.

She said that the initiatives taken by the School Education Department to meet out the dearth of teaching/non-teaching staff in Budhal Constituency include Engagement of 32 CRCs, Engagement of 5 Subject Specific teachers, Regularization of 37 Contingent Paid workers as MTS, Posting of 02 Junior Assistants in ZEO Office Peeri and Rationalization of teaching staff is under process.

The Minister said that the Project “Tameer” conceived by District Administration Rajouri for construction of 100 school buildings sanctioned with convergence mode with MGNREGA in the Year 2015-16. Out of 100 buildings, 40 buildings fall in Budhal Constituency out of which 02 were completed.