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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called for taking the ALOHA mental arithmetic programme to government schools across the Union Territory, stressing the need to provide students with equal learning opportunities.
Abdullah made the remarks while addressing the award ceremony of the ALOHA National Level Competition-2026 Kashmir at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.
Omar Abdullah On ALOHA Programme
The Chief Minister said the government would explore ways to introduce the ALOHA programme in government schools so that more children can access such learning opportunities.
He said the initiative could help create a level playing field for students across the education system and equip them with skills to compete at national and international levels.
Abdullah also praised the mental arithmetic abilities demonstrated by students participating in the competition. He credited the achievements of the participants to their parents, teachers and ALOHA International.
Focus On Education And Student Retention
Abdullah said education and health remain the two foremost responsibilities of the government and stressed the need for sustained investment in both sectors.
He said the government is working to strengthen the education system and prepare students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world. He also emphasised the need to incorporate emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), into the curriculum.
The Chief Minister highlighted student retention as another major challenge. According to him, Jammu and Kashmir performs well at the primary and middle-school levels compared with the national scenario, but retention declines as students move to higher classes.
He called for concrete measures at the secondary-school level to reduce dropout rates and ensure that students remain in the education system through higher secondary education.
Government, Private Schools Need To Work Together
The Chief Minister also called for greater cooperation between government and private schools, saying the two systems should not be viewed as competitors.
He said children studying in both government and private schools are equally important to the future of Jammu and Kashmir and called for policies that allow private educational institutions to contribute to the wider education ecosystem.
Abdullah also referred to legislation on private universities introduced this year, saying the initiative was aimed at creating more opportunities within Jammu and Kashmir so that students do not have to leave the region in search of quality private higher education.
The Chief Minister said the government would work towards expanding the ALOHA programme in J&K government schools to provide students with wider access to mental arithmetic learning opportunities.
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