December 23, KNS, Srinagar: Despite charging crores in yearly tuition, leading private schools in Srinagar have not improved their facilities in decades, according to former deputy mayor SMC Sheikh Imran.
Speaking on X, he said that Burn Hall School, Presentation Convent, Tyndale Biscoe, and other institutions together earn between 8 and 10 crore rupees a year by enrolling 2,500 to 3,000 students at an annual cost of around Rs. 33,000 per student.
“The infrastructure of these institutions has not improved over the previous decades, even with this significant funding. Among other things, this covers topics like digitization, exposure efforts, co-curricular and extracurricular activities, teacher training, smart classrooms, lab facilities, outdoor and indoor sports facilities, and faculty quality.”.
According to him, missionary schools with stringent government regulations, such as Tyndale Biscoe, Presentation Convent, and Burn Hall, urgently need a thorough development strategy. The school tables, which are antiquated, were built in the 1970s and have withstood floods and militancy. Furthermore, none of the faculty members in these missionary schools have the appropriate credentials or profiles, which calls for confirmation from the CID department.”
He continued by saying that these colleges save money on expenses because of the student fees they get, in addition to receiving government services and subsidized land rent.
“I humbly ask the government to step in and carry out in-depth audits and inspections of these schools, under the direction of @manojsinha_ji, Hon’ble @OfficeOfLGJandK. Authorities must provide instructions to schools on how to supply basic amenities like warm buses, better classrooms, smart technology, better faculty, and the implementation of digitalization.”
Conversely, Imran said that it is crucial to emphasize that the Delhi Public School (DPS) Athwajan or Budgam campuses charge tuition that is on par with or marginally more than missionary schools, but they provide a great deal fewer amenities. “However, these DPS schools also need to undergo an audit with similar directives from the government.”
Additionally, he said that a comprehensive audit of the government’s revenue and expenses should be carried out on DPS campuses as well as missionary schools. “A strategy roadmap should then be put into place to raise the caliber of professors and educational standards. Our children’s and future generations’ futures are in danger if we don’t take action to stop the declining educational standards.”
He said that the student-to-classroom ratio at these missionary schools is between 50 and 60, which is a number that is probably not in line with any educational policies. “Additionally, these schools lack modern amenities, relying on old furniture and traditional chalkboards for decades.”
The conspicuous lack of technology, faculty profiling, training, and a strategic strategy for change, according to him, is there. “When compared to their own historical norms, there has been a notable drop in quality and infrastructure. The fact that these institutions, which were once leaders in education, are now lagging below state and federal requirements is depressing.”
He continued by saying that immediate action and focus are needed to address this issue and ensure a brighter future. KNS
