Education dept fails to appoint heads of higher secondary schools
Srinagar: Exposing the laxity of the school education department to fill key positions in the schools, around 15 out of 26 higher secondary schools in Bandipora district are headless from the past several months while as the authorities are unmoved to fill-in the pots of the Principals in the district.
The headless government higher secondary schools is adversely affected the administrative as well the academic scenario in these institutions, an official said.
“It becomes a major challenge for the education department to fill in the gaps particularly in terms of academics. These institutions produce poor results in secondary and senior secondary level exams in JKBOSE annual exams,” the official said who is privy to the developments, said.
The post of the Principal of these headless higher secondary schools is managed by other equivalent rank officers as their additional assignment, increasing burden on them.
“One one hand government wants to do away with adhocism but on the other hand they keep these crucial posts vacant which proves costly for the department as well as the institutions,” he said.
During the beginning of this year, the authorities in school education department ordered promotion for scores of senior lecturers to the post of Principal (in-charge) in order to fill the vacant posts of principals in the higher secondary schools.
“But there are scores of higher secondary schools which have been left out which has hampered the overall functioning of these institutes,” the official said.
An official in Bandipora district said the headless higher secondary schools causes a major challenge in terms of producing good results during the exams.
Not only higher secondary schools but around 20 high schools are also headless in the district as well.
“This has become a cause of worry as there is no proper academic monitoring in these institutes as the officials managing the schools in addition to his/her own duties remains focused for his own school,” the official said.
Notably, the promotion and posting of headmasters and higher secondary principals or other equivalent post is ordered by the administrative department.
However, Commissioner Secretary school education department, Sarita Chauhan didn’t respond to calls from this newspaper.
Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Muhammad Younis Malik said the department has already ordered promotions in favour of senior lecturers whose posting in these schools is awaited.
“We will be issuing posting orders very soon to fill the vacancies in these headless higher secondary schools,” Malik added.
KV Correspondent
