Winter Tutorial Initiative by School Education Department

Gowher Ahmad Bhat

With the appearance of footprints of winter when the government is about to announce winter vacations parents start to bother about the circumstances that, were to send their children for tuitions so that the process of study remains uninterrupted. With parents becoming aware of the potentialities of private tuition, they can't compromise the very fundaments of sending their children to a tuition centre where the development of basics and advancement of capabilities will take place.

For choosing a tuition centre parents have to keep various factors in mind like the choice of faculty or teachers who can deliver their best, the availability of it in close vicinity so that much time is not wasted in to and fro movement and the cost of tuitions within their budget which is affordable and payable.

Taking the above-mentioned facts and concerns of parents into account, the school education department in the academic year 2015- 2016 came with a unique initiative of winter coaching for the students, as such established winter tutorial centers for class 8th to 12th and winter camps for class 3rd to 7th to cater to the needs of students and to overcome the worries of the parents.

Hundreds of such winter Schools and winter camps were established throughout the valley from the far-flung areas like Tangdhar to the urban areas of Srinagar. Besides this, special coaching centers for NEET aspirants were also established in the form of super-50 at various places in the valley. The best human resource available in government schools in the form of teachers, voluntarily came forward for such a noble cause without any hesitation of being off on winter vacations.

Later, these teachers were promised by the department to be given an earned leave of one month. Hundreds of teachers with enthusiasm and vivacity were engaged in these centres for the benefit of students. These centres were provided with the best possible furnishing and support equipment and every centre was asked to establish a heating system for students keeping in view the harsh winter of the valley.

Students got the attention of these free winter tutorial centres and thousands of these, both from the government schools as well as private schools registered themselves in these centres and were given free of cost coaching for near about two and a half months. The NEET aspirants got coaching from the best available teachers who had proven their mettle in the field. These centres got the approval of the society as the quality teaching centres, easily available and for being free of cost.

Parents heaved a sigh of relief, as their money was saved and for the poor, these centres proved to be a blessing from the Almighty. It is estimated that over 2.5 lakh students got benefited from such winter tutorials and winter camps in the academic year 2015-2016 and an estimated 25 thousand students got free coaching for NEET in the super-50 coaching centres.

The school education department continued the process in the year academic years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 and the number of these centres was increased due to overwhelming response from the students as well as demand from parents. The burden of these free tuitions was borne by the department in the form of leave salary to be provided to the engaged teachers. The department of school education is bearing these expenditures in the larger interest of society in general and the students in particular.

An estimated ten lakh students both from the government schools as well as private schools have been benefitted from the winter tutorial program of the school education department till the academic year 2020-2021.

This year the director school education, Tasuduq Hussain under the dynamic leadership of the commissioner secretary school education, Dr B. K Singh took a personal interest in the program and set the target for achieving the desired results.

Continuing the process and past exercise this year too hundreds of winter tutorial centres and winter camps are being established at places most convenient to the students. It is projected that approximately 2.5 lakh students will be registered in these centres. The Commissioner Secretary School education, Dr B.K sing along with the DSEK is leaving no stone unturned to make the winter tutorials a success and have promised every possible support and help from the department to make the winter program a success.

The DSEK has personally addressed the teachers that the orders for leave salary of previous two years in favour of teachers will be issued shortly and those teachers who will be engaged in these centres this year will also get the benefit of one month leave salary. The DSEK in humble words asked the teachers to work with zeal, dedication and utmost capability to fulfil the academic needs of the students.

Winter tutorials and winter camps launched by the school education department are proving to be the centres of excellence and brilliance. On one hand, it has brought the government schools back into the limelight and on the other hand, has eased the burden on parents for mitigating the tuition fee worth crores of rupees.

Thinking it necessary to mention here a parent conveyed that a coaching centre is charging near about Rs 50,000 for a student of ninth standard student for coaching during the winter. Parents can save themselves from such a burden by sending their children to the winter tutorial centres and winter camps established by the school education department and getting the quality education of their children by the best delivering teachers.

These centres have the recognition of the meritorious position holders of class 10th and 12th as well as the NEET qualifiers. These centres are posing a great challenge to the very existence of private tuition centres and many students from these centres have moved to these winter tutorial centres and winter camps and many are to follow.