Education, Healthcare Must Remain Top Priorities in J&K: Omar Abdullah
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said education and healthcare must remain the government’s top priorities to help children from the Union Territory compete at national and international levels.
Addressing students at the ALOHA National Level Competition (NLC)-2026 at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, Omar praised the participants for their impressive mental arithmetic skills. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The Chief Minister said he was particularly impressed by the speed with which the children solved complex arithmetic problems without relying on calculators.
Recalling his own school days, Omar said mathematics had been a difficult subject for him and that simply passing the subject had been a considerable achievement. He congratulated the students and expressed hope that their abilities would help them succeed in whichever fields they choose.
Omar also spoke about the growing number of distractions facing children today, including smartphones, television channels and digital platforms. He credited parents and teachers for helping students maintain their focus and reach the national-level competition.
Education and healthcare ‘foundation’ of development
Omar said education and healthcare form the foundation for broader development and should receive sustained attention from the government.
“The biggest responsibility for the government is to pay attention to these two things and how we improve the education system and how we improve the health system,” he said, adding that stronger education and healthcare systems were necessary for J&K’s children to compete internationally.
Omar calls for improving student retention
The Chief Minister also highlighted the need to improve student retention in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the region performs well at the primary and middle-school levels but experiences a decline in retention as students progress to higher classes. He stressed that addressing this issue was important for protecting the future of children in J&K.
Government and private schools should work together
Omar called for greater cooperation between government and private schools, saying students should not be treated differently based on the type of institution they attend.
He said children studying in both government and private schools are part of the same future of Jammu and Kashmir and that the two systems should work together rather than compete.
The Chief Minister also said the government was working to simplify procedures for private schools, particularly those related to permissions and approvals, in an effort to reduce administrative delays.
He added that steps were also being taken to streamline processes in school and higher education.
Focus on AI and emerging technologies
The Chief Minister stressed the importance of preparing students for emerging fields, including artificial intelligence, by incorporating new developments into school curricula and syllabi.
He said education must keep pace with a rapidly changing world so that students are equipped with the knowledge and skills required for the future.
Omar proposes ALOHA programme in government schools
Omar also said the government would examine the possibility of introducing the ALOHA mental arithmetic programme in government schools across Jammu and Kashmir.
The proposal, he said, could help provide students with greater access to similar learning opportunities and create a more level playing field across the education system.
He praised the participation of children from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, other Indian states and abroad in the competition.
The event brought together students who demonstrated their speed, concentration and mental calculation abilities. More than 1,700 students reportedly participated in the ALOHA National Level Competition hosted in J&K.
Omar congratulated the students, parents and teachers and told participants that taking part in the competition itself was an achievement.He said the enthusiasm and performance of the young participants gave him hope about the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
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