SED to depute additional officers in districts to rationalise staff in schools

Srinagar, May 24: In a latest development, the School Education Department (SED) has decided to depute additional officers in district to ensure proper rationalisation of the teaching staff in schools as per the student requirements.

The move comes amid the pressures from different quarters including political influence which hinders the proper rationalisation of the teaching staff in schools. Due to this the schools in towns and cities have surplus teaching staff while the rural schools have been left teacher deficient, taking a toll on the academics of the students. Amid this, the government has decided to depute one officer of joint director or deputy director rank who will initiate the exercise to rationalise the staff in schools.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Minister for education Sakina Itoo said the decision has been taken to ensure adequate teaching staff in schools “But I have asked the Secretary education to ensure that there are no complaints of favouritism or corruption in the process. Our motive is to have adequate staff in all the schools,” she told Greater Kashmir. She said that besides Srinagar and Jammu city, the problem of lopsided Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) was more persistent in north Kashmir districts. “Baramulla and Kupwara districts have an acute problem of disproportionate PTR in schools. But we have taken an initiative and we will address the problem,” she told Greater Kashmir.

As already reported by this newspaper, MLA Uri Dr SajadShafi in the last Assembly session said that no outsiders (from Baramulla town) was ready to serve in Uri schools and urged the government to retain the teachers posted in Uri schools even after their promotion to the next grade. However, an official told Greater Kashmir that around 57 teachers from Uri area are posted in schools located in Baramulla town and other adjoining areas. “These teachers are not joining their actual place of postings despite the exercise started by the department. Political interference is hampering the process,” the official told Greater Kashmir. In Bandipora, some teachers and lecturers were also relieved and directed to join their schools in Gurez Valley. But, according to the officials, they have not yet joined the schools despite the orders issued by the department. “I also came to know about this issue. I was told that lecturers or teachers relieved from Bandipora have not joined Gurez. I will speak to the director and issue instructions to suspend these teachers and lecturers or to withhold their salary,” education minister said.