New Delhi, Nov 01: The Private Schools Association Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) participated in the 13th School Choice National Conference on the Economics of Education, organised by the Centre for Civil Society at FICCI, New Delhi, on Saturday.
During the conference, the discussions prominently focused on learning outcomes highlighted by the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) data spanning 2006–2024.
The deliberations examined the relationship between investment in education and actual learning achievements, with participants emphasising that the success of the education system should not be measured merely through enrolment figures but also through students’ measurable learning outcomes.
The ASER data from 2006 to 2024 provided an important reference point for discussions on persistent learning challenges and the need for improved educational quality, institutional accountability and effective utilisation of resources.
Participants stressed the importance of shifting the focus towards foundational learning, assessing educational outcomes and ensuring that increased investment in the sector translates into tangible improvements in students’ learning abilities. President PSAJK Dr Baba Nazrul Islam and Chairman Green Valley Educational Institute (GVEI) Muhammad Yousuf Wani, and Advisor to PSAJK, represented the association at the national-level conference, which brought together policymakers, senior government officials, educationists, economists, researchers and representatives of the private education sector.
Among the prominent participants were V Vualnama, Secretary Department of Expenditure Ministry of Finance, Nasir Aslam Wani Advisor to the J&K Chief Minister, Sanjay Kumar former Secretary Ministry of Education, Prof Geeta Gandhi of University College London and City Montessori School Lucknow, Gurcharan Das author and public intellectual and Sarath Davala of the Basic Income Earth Network.
Representatives of NITI Aayog, the Observer Research Foundation and other leading policy institutions also participated in the deliberations.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Baba Nazrul Islam said discussions on the economics of education held particular significance for Jammu and Kashmir, where private schools, especially budget institutions, had played an important role in expanding access to education and supporting the educational aspirations of children.
He stressed that education policies should adequately recognise the contribution of affordable private schools and provide them with a supportive regulatory and financial environment to ensure quality, affordability and institutional sustainability.
He also underlined the need for constructive engagement between the government, private educational institutions and policymaking bodies.
Muhammad Yousuf Wani highlighted the importance of strengthening school leadership, encouraging innovation and improving institutional capacities. He stressed the need to create an enabling environment in which schools could deliver quality education without compromising affordability.
