DSEK fails to depute officers at Zonal level
Many ZEO posts lying vacant since past many months now
Srinagar: The school education department is facing a dearth of Zonal Education Officers (ZEO) at around a dozen education zones which has taken a toll on the normal functioning of its offices in Kashmir.
Officials said that around 12 posts of ZEOs are lying vacant in the department which is managed by other equivalent rank officials as their additional charges.
“The failure of the authorities to fill the ZEO posts has hit the functioning of the department at zonal level,” the officials said wishing not to be named.
Officials said the charges of ZEO are given to Principals of higher secondary schools so that the ZEO offices are run to manage the administrative affairs.
“In some zones, ZEOs have been suspended following their involvement in misappropriation of funds,” the official said.
In Baramulla the department has kept several posts of ZEOs unfilled from past affecting the work in the respective zones.
“There are other zones where post of ZEO is lying vacant since past many months now. Authorities have failed to fill the vacancies which have made these zones defunct,” the officials said.
The officials said the officers assigned to run the posts as their additional charge fail to do justice with their duties given the burden of work in these offices.
“The department has given additional charge of ZEOs to Principal Higher Secondary Schools which has affected work at both the places. A person can’t handle two positions simultaneously,” the official added.
The officials said the ZEO is also a drawing and disbursing officer (DDO) and releases salary of teachers of the concerned zones.
“ZEO plays an important role in administrative and academic affairs. ZEO is the immediate boss in the zone and takes decision for his zone,” the official said.
Meanwhile, teachers from different zones which are sans a ZEO complained that their files get stuck in the offices for prolonged time due to non-availability of ZEO in the office.
“The official given additional charge of ZEO doesn’t attend the office on daily basis. He remains over burdened with his other duties as well with the result the files submitted for approval get stuck for months,” they said.
Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Muhammad Younis Malik meanwhile said the issue will be looked into.
“We will consolidate the details and vacant posts of ZEO will be filled as early as possible,” he said.
