1 lakh students without teachers for a week, Govt unmoved

More than one lakh students in over 400 higher secondary schools across Kashmir are deprived of teaching staff, resulting in a crisis for them.

A week ago, J&K government terminated the services ofover 1000 teachers whose services were hired on contractual  basis for higher secondary schools.

   

No alternative arrangements have been made to overcome theacademic crisis in schools particularly at 10+2 level. The government alsoterminated the services of over 500 subject specific masters on June 30. “Thedecision to terminate the services of academic arrangements and subjectspecific masters in schools was taken amid dearth of teaching staff in schools,”a higher secondary school principal told Greater Kashmir, wishing not to beidentified.  “The move has createdacademic crisis in educational institutions but the administrative departmentis unmoved,” he added. 

A top official in civil secretariat said that the issue wassupposed to be discussed in the last State Administrative Council meeting butnothing was discussed about appointing new academic arrangements.

He said there was some delay on part of department due towhich no decision was taken in this regard.

“The solution of the problem was to extend the services ofacademic arrangements till the end of the current academic session. By the timethe department should expedite the process for promotion of masters aslecturers who will join the department from next academic session,” theofficial said.

Amid the government’s indecisiveness, the students at highersecondary level find themselves at the receiving end.

Greater Kashmir earlier reported that in February the schooleducation department didn’t hire needed teachers for higher secondary schoolsdue to imposition of model code of conduct for general elections in state.

In wake of this, the services of around 1000 candidatesworking in schools during 2018 were re-hired till June 30.

“In order to avoid academic crises the services of thecandidates whose tenure expired on June 30 should be extended till the end ofthe current academic. Or department should come up with some immediatemeasures,” an official said.

There are around 414 higher secondary schools (HSS) inKashmir with almost 2000 posts of lecturers lying vacant over the years.

The government hires subject-wise academic arrangements oncontract basis to overcome the dearth of permanent lecturers in schools.

In Kupwara district around 230 posts of lecturers are lyingvacant against which around 198 academic arrangements were engaged by thedepartment for the district whose service expired on June 30.

Similarly, around 319 posts of lecturers are lying vacant inBaramulla district.

Earlier the number of lecturer vacancies was only 132 butthe number swelled up after the government upgraded 17 schools to the level ofhigher secondary schools.

“Eleven posts of subject wise lecturer posts have beencreated in each upgraded HSS but all are vacant,” the official said.

The Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK), MuhammadYounis Malik, said the department is aware about the issue and that it will beresolved soon.

“Administrative department has taken some decisions whichwill be finalised within few days and all the crises will be over,” Malik said.

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