Reflecting the non-seriousness of J&K government to fill key administrative positions in the education department, around 50 percent of education zones are headless in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Also, 31 out of 61 higher secondary schools are headless in the district as well.
There are 18 education zones in the district out of whichnine zones are without zonal education officer (ZEO).
The department is managing these key positions throughadhocism by saddling already overburdened officials with theseresponsibilities.
“The charges of the ZEO posts are managed by the otherequivalent rank officials as their additional charges,” an official said,adding that the adhocism has taken a toll on the working of these offices.
“It is not humanly possible for one person to manage twojobs simultaneously,” the official said.
Also, there are around 61 government-run higher secondaryschools in the district out of which 31 have been rendered headless by thedepartment. Earlier there were only 44 higher secondary schools in Baramullabut the number swelled up to 61 as the government recently upgraded 17 highschools to the level of higher secondary schools. “But all the upgraded highersecondary schools are without permanent principal which hampers the overallfunctioning of these schools,” the official said.
On top of it around 319 posts of lecturers are lying vacantin the district. Earlier the number of lecturer vacancies was only 132 but thenumber swelled up after the up gradation of schools in the district. “11subject wise lecturer posts were created in each upgraded HSS but all arevacant,” the official said.
Already reported by Greater Kashmir, over 100 highersecondary schools (excluding upgraded schools) are headless across Kashmir asthe education department has delayed posting principals despite theirpromotions ordered in the month of February.
Over the past years, it has been observed that funds meantfor various prestigious projects remain unutilised in headless zones while asthe headless higher secondary schools performed poorly in the annual class 10thand 12th exams conducted by JK Board of School Education (BOSE).
In the last class 12th annual exams, 44 out of 58 headlesshigher secondary schools performed poorly in the exams throwing a majorchallenge for the department to plug up the loopholes.
“Only permanent heads control administration as well asacademics in their schools which cannot be made possible by people managing thejobs in addition to their own duties,” an official said.
Secretary school education department, Sarita Chauhan,didn’t respond to repeated calls from this newspaper.
Director school education Kashmir (DSEK) Muhammad YounisMalik said a proposal for posting of over 100 higher secondary schoolprincipals has been sent to the administrative department for their approval.
“All the vacant posts of principals will be filled,” heassured.