Music, fine arts being introduced at higher secondary level:

The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to introduce music and fine arts as subject at the higher secondary level in addition to a string of reforms to improve the school education, a minister said here today.
"The Government has decided to introduce music and fine arts subjects at higher secondary level in addition to a string of reforms to improve school education at all levels, with special focus on improvement of elementary education," said Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari.
Chairing a high-level meeting to discuss education sector related issues of the Kulgam constituency with MLA Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, the Minister said a special focus was laid on the introduction of a new range of subjects to make school education more vibrant and broad-based.

Initially the subject (music and fine arts) would be introduced in one higher secondary school of each district to assess the response, he informed.
"The biggest challenge is to ensure quality education at the primary level which will be addressed by taking and utilising all available means. Intensifying teacher training holds the key to realise this objective for which District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) would be made hub of quality training by involving the best resource persons" Bukhari asserted.
Responding to the issues raised by the Kulgam MLA, the Minister said the government has already started the process to clear the decks for the promotion and filling up of vacant posts of higher secondary school principals.

He also informed that the state has taken up the issue of early construction of buildings for Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.
He said the government is going to sought relaxation in terms of land area for campus to facilitate construction of buildings of KVs and JNVs.
He further informed that the pace of construction of pending school buildings was being regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level to ensure timeline completion and quality of work.