Mass reshuffle of teaching staff triggers chaos at DSEK

Students along with their parents protesting against the transfer of teachers at Pulwama. — Excelsior/Younis Khaliq
Students along with their parents protesting against the transfer of teachers at Pulwama. — Excelsior/Younis Khaliq

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Mar 2: Chaotic scenes were witnessed as thousands of aggrieved teachers rushed to the office of Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) here today to register their grievances before Grievance Cell created by the Education Department in the aftermath of mass reshuffle of teaching staff.
The Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK)  issued orders of mass reshuffle of teaching staff in Government schools of Valley early this week, resulting in complete chaos in educational institutes and inconvenience to the teaching community. Since early morning, thousands of teachers were seen in and outside DSEK office for redressel of their grievances.
The teaching staff complained of inconvenient and premature transfers by the Education Department. Sources said that such were the chaos, the Grievance Cell couldn’t manage a single complaint by the aggrieved teachers and ultimately the teachers were asked to pen down their grievances on a form issued by the DSEK due to transfer.
The Grievance Cell, according to the sources, is being headed by a Joint Director and Personal Officer but due to heavy flow of teachers, no one’s grievance was addressed. Sources further said that no top official was present at Directorate Office and this further deteriorated the situation. The teachers had come from far-flung areas of the Valley and they included females as well.
Due to ‘premature and random’ transfers, the education of the children in Government schools has also got affected as teachers are distressed as it has confused the whole teaching community. Sources further said that in the wake of inability of the DSEK Grievance Cell to handle complaints of the teachers, the teachers have also now been asked to approach Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of their respective districts.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari today appealed teaching community not to panic over the recent mass transfer order issued by Directorate of School Education Kashmir. The Minister said there is scope of modifications in the order under norms.
“I can assure you that we have taken cognizance of the grievances of teachers, lecturers and masters who have been transferred. There wouldn’t be any injustice to anyone. If there is a pre-mature stay, health issue or other genuine grievance of any teacher, it will be resolved on priority,” Bukhari said.
He added that teachers who feel that postings have not been made under norms or they have been assigned inconvenient postings, particularly the female teachers, should not panic.

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