Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 23: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has pulled up Education Department for not strictly adhering to the Transfer Policy and making modifications and attachments under bureaucratic and political pressure. She has categorically told the officers of the department that further complaints in this regard would be viewed very seriously.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that while reviewing the functioning of the Education Department here yesterday, Chief Minister pointed out several areas, which are required to be given special attention in order to ensure that quality education is provided to students in each and every corner of the State.
Taking serious note of lopsided teacher-student ratio in the cities of Jammu and Srinagar, she said, “while the schools in the cities of Jammu and Srinagar are having more than required teachers, the situation is contrary in the villages and far-off areas where students are clamoring for required number of teachers”.
“By ignoring this vital aspect we are doing injustice with the students community in villages and far-off areas and this is not acceptable to me”, she remarked, adding “the department is required to look into this aspect and ensure that rationalization exercise is taken to next level particularly with regard to lecturers and masters so that schools in villages and far-off areas don’t suffer”.
She directed that the lecturers and other category of teachers should not be concentrated in city schools alone but circulated so that their experience and knowledge benefits the students across the State.
Laying stress on strict implementation of Education Department’s Transfer Policy, she said, “though this is a very good piece of document but its implementation has remained poor.
“I have received numerous complaints that transfers made under this policy were subsequently modified by the officers of this department under bureaucratic and political pressure”, she added.
“This department is not meant for facilitating the convenience of influential employees but to ensure that students in each and every corner of the State receive due attention in the shape of adequate number of teachers and other facilities”, sources said quoting the observations made by the Chief Minister.
Referring to her decision about conveying list of relatives in departments to the General Administration Department to check claim of undue benefits, she said, “it would be better if the Ministers, Legislators and bureaucrats also fall in line as after-all our objective is to serve the people and not our near and dear ones”.
She directed the Education Minister, Naeem Akhtar to ensure that all the modifications are cancelled and teachers, masters and others join the places where they were posted as per the orders issued under the Transfer Policy. The complaints vis-a-vis modifications would be viewed very seriously, Mehbooba categorically told the Commissioner/ Secretary, School Education Department.
The Chief Minister also viewed seriously attachments in the Education Department and directed for detachments immediately. She also stressed upon bringing more schools under the ambit of Model School Scheme so that students are given access to tools of e-learning.
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