District Education Advisory Council (DEAC), a body of eminent educationists and intelligentsia constituted by the district administration with an aim to strengthen value based education, improvement in systems and providing platform for guidance, held its maiden meeting-cum-conference at district headquarters here today.In his address, Deputy Commissioner, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary informed about the broader objectives of DEAC for initiating a movement of quality education in district. The DEAC will meet once in a month and contribute towards value-based education, partnership in public private partnership, sharing of best practices and providing a platform for students to channelize best of their potential. An independent office and establishment is being provided for the DEAC.Eminent educationists, writers, heads of premier institutions and senior government officials attended the brainstorming conference where a host of issues and ideas were discussed. Suggestions, proposals and views were presented by several prominent educationists including Prof Nisar Rahi, Prof Iqbal Shawl, Prof Mohd Javaid, Prof Javaid Qazi, Prof Shakeel Raina, Rtd K K Langer, Prof Saleem Wani, Khurshid Bismil, Sajjad Tariq, Prof Bashir Ahmad Magrey, Prof M K Waqar, Rauf Dar, Qayoom Mir, K L Khajuria, Ashok Sharma besides others. Also present were CEO Lal Hussain, DSWO Dr Abdul Khabir, DIO Mohammad Shafait, Tehsildar Mohd Raiyaz and Dy Registrar Cooperatives Waqar Talib. Speakers complimented the initiative for setting up DEAC.
The DEAC decided to come up with quarterly publication for welfare of education system, establishment of Coaching cum Counselling Centre, setting up of Libraries and Laboratories for excellence, monthly conferences and round tables besides taking broad-based steps to strengthen and improve education system particularly at primary level and providing platform for guided career counselling. Members from private schools also offered to provide 5-10 seats for meritorious students every year.The DEAC lauded the initiative of district administration for planning and establishment of a state-of-the-art library, counselling and skill development centre for girl students which is being launched shortly and also resolved that such initiatives will be supported at various levels. It was also decided that zonal and sub-divisional councils will be constituted for better functioning at field level.Several issues related to establishment of Cluster University for Rajouri-Poonch, Degree College for women at Rajouri, Campus of Jammu University at Rajouri and other demands were also raised by the prominent educationists which the district administration assured to project at appropriate level in State Government. It was also resolved to register DEAC as a society and further informed that the next roundtable to discuss specific issues will be held on 6th March 2018.