J&K: Education Minister Clarifies FAT-Linked Schools Not Taken Over by Govt
Srinagar, Aug 23 — Hours after the Jammu and Kashmir government announced the takeover of 215 schools linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and its affiliate Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), Education Minister Sakina Itoo clarified on Saturday that the original departmental proposal did not intend for deputy commissioners to assume control.
The minister said the draft approved by her had directed that nearest cluster principals oversee the schools temporarily, not the deputy commissioners as mentioned in the order issued by the School Education Department Secretary.
In the order released late Friday, the Secretary stated that the schools’ management would be taken over by district magistrates/deputy commissioners, who would then propose new management committees.
Itoo, however, contradicted this directive in a video message:
“Unfortunately, people are spreading rumours that the Education Department has taken over the FAT schools. Our proposal was that the nearest cluster principals would supervise them until new management committees were formed.”
She said that the management committees of these schools had received negative CID verification six to eight years ago, which left them in limbo. With over 51,000 students enrolled, the Education Department stepped in to ensure that children did not face problems during board examinations, she explained.
“Students, teachers, and school structures would remain unchanged. Only supervision was to shift to cluster principals. The order mentioning deputy commissioners and fresh committees was not part of our proposal,” the minister emphasized.
Itoo added that she had forwarded an approved note to the Secretary, asking him to issue the order accordingly. “That has not happened,” she said.
The clarification appears aimed at easing public concern over the future of thousands of students while also highlighting differences between the minister’s approved draft and the official order released by the bureaucracy.
