Detachment, transfer of overstaying staff on cards
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 17: The Department of Schools Education is taking a series of initiatives for optimum functioning of the educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir as the top Government authorities are learnt to have issued necessary instructions in this regard.
Official sources told the Excelsior that a formal decision has been taken by the department with issuance of instructions for conducting DPC meetings on priority basis at all the required levels for promotion of the employees and ensure immediate filling up of the vacant posts as per seniority of Principals, ZEOs and Headmasters.
Further, sources added, the long pending demands like running grades to Plus 2 Lecturers, induction into KAS after 14 years, non-vacation status to Principals, more Lecturers in languages/IT/Computer Sciences, rationalization of posts as per the students’ strength, auto transfer in two years etc, are also being actively considered by the Department and both the Directors of School Education (Jammu/Kashmir) have been asked for prompt action over the issues.
Taking cognizance of overstaying Lecturers working as OSD at the Directorates of School Education and CEO offices, sources said that directions have been issued to the concerned for detachment of these employees forthwith and ensure that the teaching faculty be used in administration through proper screening and rotation.
Besides, both the Directors of School Education have been asked to immediately transfer and post all clerical staff beyond mature stay to ensure transparency, reduce corruption and optimum functioning of the School Education Sector.
Since a large chunk of school teachers come through promotion from Lab Bearers/Lab Assistants with no teaching aptitude, the Department has contemplated to take aptitude test for such slots or give them only grade promotions.
According to Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Principal Secretary of the School Education Department, a considerable number of higher secondary schools in J&K are without Principals and almost 70 percent posts of ZEOs, Headmasters of Middle and High schools are vacant thus leading to adhocism and chaos in the school education functioning.
“Both the Directors of School Education (Kashmir/Jammu) shall ensure filling up of the vacant posts as per seniority of Principals/ZEOs/Headmasters and immediately submit the proposals in this regard to competent authority while the DPC meetings shall be conducted on priority basis at all the required levels to address the pending grievances of employees of School Education Department for their promotion,” he informed.
Pertinent mention that conducting DPCs for regularization and filling up vacant posts were among the long pending demands of the teaching community in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking prompt action in this regard, the Director School Education Kashmir today issued order for placement of 90 Masters as In-charge Headmasters and equivalent.
While sharing minutes of the meeting where these decisions were taken, Dr Samoon further informed that other demands like running grades to Plus 2 Lecturers, rationalization of posts as per students’ strength, non-vacation status to Principals, more lecturers in languages/IT/Computer Sciences, auto transfer in two years and induction into KAS after 14 years as Assistant Secretary/Deputy Secretary were under active consideration and Director School Education Kashmir/Jammu have been asked for prompt action in this regard.
In the meeting, which was chaired by the Principal Secretary and attended by both the Directors of School Education besides Secretary JKBOSE, Project Director Samagra and others through video conferencing, a number of other significant decisions were also taken and conveyed for strict adherence of the instructions, which include immediate release of pending salaries of ReTs/Teacher Grade II and III, engagement of teaching staff on academic arrangement basis on priority as per the procedure in vogue, accelerating the pace of civil works to ensure maximum utilization of the earmarked funds as per the prescribed timeline, furnishing proposals by the CEOs for completion of the works, especially school buildings, which have been abandoned or left incomplete due to cost escalation and other reasons.
The meet also instructed the CEOs to ensure that the assignments/study material is delivered at the doorsteps of the school going children during the lockdown period while the Secretary JK BOSE was directed to ensure distribution of text books to all Government schools on priority with the help of law enforcing agency.
With regard to the hanging schools, which have been upgraded without creation of the staff, it was decided that a committee shall be constituted by the Administrative Department for examining the issue.
Reiterating the Government’s resolve to ensure optimum functioning of the School Education department, Dr Samoon also informed that female teachers shall be deployed in such a manner that during their child care and maternity leave periods, substitutes are provided so that no vacuum is created for teaching kids in such schools when the educational institutions reopen.
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