It is a well-known fact that the UT of J&K has a huge chunk of migratory
population which migrates from within/one district/division to another
district/division during the onset of summer season along-with their school
going children to the highest mountain peaks/pastures for a maximum
period of six months (usually April/May to September/October). Keeping in
view the diversity in topography of J&K and the importance of the
education/schooling facility, Directorate of Samagra Shiksha, J&K is
facilitating the education of these children of nomadic population by
enabling the districts to establish the Seasonal Centres every year based on
the migratory period and location where these communities stay along with
their families and cattle head. By virtue of these seasonal centres,
educational facility is provided to the children within the age group of 6-14
years during the migration period (for a maximum of six months) who are
either already on the rolls of the school at their original places (catchment
area or habitation) or out of school.
Seasonal Educational Volunteers are engaged in these Seasonal Centres for
imparting education to the migratory/nomadic children every year for a
maximum of 06 months period. The engagement of these Seasonal
Educational Volunteers is purely temporary and co-terminus with the
closure of the seasonal centre as and when the migratory population
moves back to their original places.
Ministry of Education, GoI sanctions the funds @Rs. 0.06 lakh (Rs. six
thousand) per migratory child, which includes the TLE, TLM, honorarium of
Seasonal Educational Volunteers, cost of tents and contingency amount.
Teaching Learning Equipment (TLE) @Rs. 2500/- per seasonal centre is
provided which includes white board, easel, markers, dusters, interactive
charts and the extra transportation cost etc, that may be incurred because
of the distance and head-load as the seasonal centre is established on the
highest mountain peaks/pastures and tough hilly terrains. Also, an amount
of Rs. 100/- per enrolled nomadic child is provided as TLM which includes
pencil, sharpener, eraser, notebooks etc. Moreover, keeping in view that
the class work is not held in open, Samagra Shiksha has also kept the
provision of water proof tents for these Seasonal Centres, which are
provided on the basis of requisition from the concerned Chief Education
Officers.
It is to mention here that after returning from the Dhoks, the children of
migratory nomadic population return to their homes where they are
enrolled in the schools of their catchment area and avail all benefits
available under the scheme. The number of Seasonal Centres to be
established and the number of Seasonal Educational Volunteers to be
engaged in these seasonal centres is decided by the concerned Chief
Education Officers.
