New Delhi, Oct 31 (KNS): The Private Schools Association Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) on Saturday called for a supportive regulatory and financial framework for affordable private schools, saying education policies must balance quality, accessibility and institutional sustainability.
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‎The concerns were raised during the 13th School Choice National Conference, organised by the Centre for Civil Society at FICCI in New Delhi under the theme “Economics of Education”.
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‎PSAJK President Dr Baba Nazrul Islam and M Yousuf Wani, Chairman of Green Valley Educational Institute and Advisor to the association, participated in the conference, which brought together policymakers, educationists, economists, researchers and representatives of private educational institutions.
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‎Speaking on the significance of the discussions for Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Islam said private schools, particularly budget institutions, had played an important role in expanding access to education across the region.
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‎He said education policies should recognise their contribution while ensuring that regulatory requirements do not undermine the financial viability of institutions providing affordable education.
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‎Dr Islam also stressed the need for greater cooperation between the government, private schools and policymaking institutions to address challenges facing the education sector.
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‎M Yousuf Wani highlighted the importance of improving school leadership, encouraging innovation and strengthening institutional capacities to achieve better educational outcomes without increasing the financial burden on parents.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
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‎The conference examined the relationship between spending on education and actual learning outcomes, with discussions drawing attention to findings from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) covering the period from 2006 to 2024.
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‎Participants emphasised that educational progress should not be measured through enrolment figures alone, but also through improvements in learning levels, institutional accountability and effective use of resources.
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‎Among those who addressed the conference were V Vualnama, Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance; Nasir Aslam Wani, Advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister; former Union Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar; economist and author Gurcharan Das; and education experts from national and international institutions.
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‎Representatives associated with NITI Aayog, Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Observer Research Foundation and other policy organisations also participated in the deliberations.
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‎The PSAJK leadership said its participation provided an opportunity to raise issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir's private education sector and engage with national policymakers on affordability, educational standards and sustainable school management.
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‎The association reiterated its commitment to advocating an education system that ensures affordable schooling, institutional accountability and improved learning opportunities for children. (KNS)