Banihal: The education system in a number of government schools in the hilly district of Ramban is suffering badly.
Efforts being made by the education department to improve the education system in the government schools have not achieved much success in past more than two decades.
Due to the severe shortage of teaching staff and school building in Government High School Bohardar Neel in sub division Ramsoo of district Ramban, the future of near about 200 students studying there is at stake and it has become difficult for them to get proper education.
There are 170 boys and girl students enrolled at HS Bohardar Neel and only four teachers are posted for them, while 11 posts of teachers including headmaster are lying vacant.
In this largest educational institution established for the vast area of far-flung Neel area of education zone Banihal, six posts of master grade have been sanctioned, but not a single master is posted there. Only four teachers are posted against eight sanctioned posts of teachers and the post of headmaster is also vacant.
Apart from this, the posts of laboratory and library assistant, peon, orderly and safaiwala are also vacant.
As per official figures a total of 22 posts of teaching and non-teaching staff have been sanctioned for High school Bohardar Neel and only four teachers and one junior assistant are available and 11 posts including the headmaster are vacant.
This situation has caused worries among the teachers, parents and students and the pressure of the entire school’s 10 classes is being borne by the four teachers posted here and the education of the children is not being done properly.
The local people and PRIs of Bohrdar Neel located in the remote mountains range of Tehsil Ramsoo told Greater Kashmir that there are only five rooms in the High School Bohardar Neel , out of which the school office is run from one room and only four rooms are available for 10 classes. They said the children have to be taught under open sky outside the school and the education system is badly affected during rainy days.
They said that a two storied additional school building consisting of four rooms is under construction for last several years , but due to slow pace of the work by contractor and the education department, this school building is not getting completed and still the roof, doors and windows of the school have not been completed.
Rehmatullah Nayak , local sarpanch of Panchayat Bohardar Neel , while talking to Greater Kashmir said that more than 170 children are studying in the Government High School Bohardar Neel and poor children from far-flung villages of Googoni, Thakur Basti , Kanihal, Topan, Gagarnag and Laroo come here to get education.
He said that they requested DC Ramban and Chief Education Officer Ramban for appointment of teaching staff and Deputy Commissioner Ramban has instructed the CEO Ramban to solve the matter under rationalization but the appointment of teaching staff has not been made possible yet .
He said that the transfer of teachers has been implemented a few weeks back in Ramban district, but no teacher or master has been sent to HS Bohardar Neel , which is suffering from shortage of teaching staff as there are six vacancies for masters and four vacancies for teachers.
He said that in total, seven teachers have been transferred from different government schools of the Neel Valley and in return only one master has been appointed in the Neel area.
He said that HS Bohardar is surrounded by bushes and maze fields and its boundary wall is very important to protect students from wild animals .
When contacted ZEO Banihal Jamsheed Ahmed Khan said that a master posted at High School Bohardar Neel in education zone Banihal has died some time back while the headmaster has retired and only four teachers are posted here now.
He said that he is going to visit the Neel area soon and after consultation with the Chief Education Officer and Cluster Head, efforts will be made to appoint more teaching staff there under rationalisation process as soon as possible. He said, ”We are trying our best to deliver best education and for that internal arrangements have been made for the benefit of students.”
