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SRINAGAR: Veteran educationist and Founding President of the Private Schools Association Jammu & Kashmir (PSAJK), Dr. G.N. Var, has called for collective efforts to address the practice of “dummy schools” and safeguard the role of formal schooling in students’ academic, personal and social development.
In a statement issued to the press, Dr. G.N Var said that while the Government’s initiatives to promote ease of doing business and create a more conducive environment for the private education sector are welcome, they must be accompanied by a renewed commitment to educational quality, institutional accountability and the best interests of students.
He urged private schools to ensure regular attendance, effective classroom teaching and meaningful student engagement, stressing that formal education must not be reduced to a mere formality or treated solely as a requirement for appearing in examinations.
Dr. Var also called upon tuition centres to conduct classes outside regular school hours in accordance with applicable Government guidelines. He emphasised that students should neither be encouraged nor compelled to miss regular school lessons to attend coaching classes.
“Schools must remain the foundation of a child’s education. No student should have to choose between regular schooling and coaching, as both serve different purposes. Our collective responsibility is to ensure that children receive quality classroom education while getting supplementary academic support without compromising their overall development,” Var said.
He observed that excessive dependence on coaching at the expense of regular school attendance could weaken students’ foundational learning and deprive them of classroom interaction, collaborative activities and opportunities to develop confidence, discipline and critical-thinking skills.
Highlighting the financial burden associated with dummy admissions, Dr.Var said that parents could end up paying school fees for admissions where students do not attend regular classes, while also bearing the additional expense of private tuition or coaching.
“Parents invest their hard-earned money in the hope of securing a better future for their children. Dummy admissions can place an avoidable financial burden on families without ensuring the benefits of regular schooling. Education must be about genuine learning, not merely securing an admission or obtaining eligibility for examinations,” he said.
Dr.Var stressed that schools, coaching centres and parents must work together to create a balanced and student-friendly learning environment. He said academic success should not be measured by examination results alone, but also by the development of good values, independent thinking, emotional maturity and essential life skills.
“The true purpose of education goes far beyond marks, ranks and competitive examinations. Students need strong academic foundations, good values, discipline and the confidence to face life’s challenges. We must ensure that the pursuit of academic excellence does not come at the cost of their well-being or holistic development,” Dr. Var said.
He added that J&K Government’s efforts to strengthen the education sector could deliver meaningful results when institutions and other stakeholders fulfil their responsibilities with sincerity and accountability.
Reiterating the need to protect the sanctity of formal schooling while allowing responsible supplementary coaching, Dr. Var said the focus must remain on students’ long-term interests, ensuring that every child has access to meaningful classroom learning, appropriate academic support and opportunities for all-round development.
