Directives issued to DSE, orders to be issued soon: Sakina
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Sept 25: The constant delay by School Education Department in issuing the transfer orders of teachers in Jammu and Udhampur districts under Annual Transfer Drive (ATD) has generated a lot of resentment among the teaching fraternity and their families in the twin districts of this region.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
As per sources, the Annual Transfer Drive (ATD) of teachers for eight districts in Jammu province has already taken place, where as the lists of Jammu and Udhampur districts are still awaited. This has generated a lot of resentment not only among the teachers fraternity who are serving in far off places in the two districts and have not been transferred over a decade, but in their families too, sources said.
These teachers had pinned high hopes after School Education Department as a policy matter had decided to launch ATD every year to settle the grievances of teachers serving in far of areas for over three years, sources said. The orders were being issued every year since 2021 but last year the same was not done due to Code of Conduct for Parliamentary and later Assembly elections, sources added.
However, this year process was started by the Department and transfer orders of teachers in eight districts were issued barring Jammu and Udhampur districts, sources said, adding after a constant wait when the orders were not issued the deputations of the teachers’ bodies and parents met the concerned authorities and highlighted the plight of the teachers serving in far off areas for many years together who were never transferred to their home localities since then.
Sources said over 3000 teachers in the twin districts are facing the problems and among, them some are working at a single place for about a decade the date of their first appointment. Among them a large number of female teachers are suffering a lot due to this step motherly treatment, sources said, adding the number of such female aggrieved teachers in Jammu district alone is about 500.
Sources said these teachers are serving at present places of postings for nine to 12 years, waiting anxiously for ATD since year 2021. Along with these female teachers, their families in general and children in particular have also become victims. Many of them were unmarried during their appointments and after marriage they are covering distance of 80 to 100 Kms to reach their schools while there are some blue eyed boys who are serving at a distance of zero km for 10 to 20 years. It is a grave injustice and a severe physical and mental harassment to those serving at far flung places, sources added.
Sources said as nine to 10 years is a very long and boring tenure to remain in same school. It is neither beneficial for students nor teachers.
Sources said in Jammu district, 2000 teachers have applied for their transfers serving at far off places. The female teachers appointed in 2016 have not been transferred from the school where their first appointment was made. Though they have been married since then but are still serving in the same school where their first appointment was made nine years back which is a grave injustice with these hapless teachers, sources added.
These teachers are in great trouble as they have to travel about 70 to 80 kilometres daily to reach their destination. Facing personnel as well as family problems these teachers are unable to look after their old aged and ailing parents as well as children, sources said adding when the orders for eight districts were issued why Jammu and Udhampur districts were kept pending ?
Sources said some teachers are posted at such far off places that they have to change two to three vehicles to reach the school. The teachers fear that in case the lists were delayed by 15 to 20 days more, the authorities will have an excuse that transfers can’t be made as it is midsession.
Surat Singh Toofani, senior vice president J&K Teachers Forum said that a deputation of Forum approached Director School Education Jammu and apprised him of the problems being faced by teachers on account of delaying tactics of the Department in issuing transfer orders.
He said though the Department had launched transfer drive in eight districts and it went smoothly but some favouritism was shown to blue eyed boys in twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch with the result the Jammu and Udhampur districts list was kept pending. He said some teachers have applied for transfers on Medical ground where others have old age and ailing parents and they deserve to be posted in their nearby localities.
He demanded as a policy matter the Government should initiate the process of ATD in the month of April, both in Summer as well as Winter zones so that the education of children is not effected.
The aggrieved teachers have appealed Education Minister J&K (UT) Secretary School Education and Director School Education Jammu seeking their immediate intervention in this matter and direct the concerned authorities to release the list of ATD for teachers of Jammu and Udhampur districts.
When contacted, Minister of Education, Health & Medical Education, Sakina Itoo told Excelsior that the directives have been issued to DSE Jammu to issue the transfer orders in a transparent manner and the list of the twin districts will be also issued within few days.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
