Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Feb 27:- With over 1400 posts of Plus two Lecturers and 31 posts of Principals lying vacant for over a pretty long time now in Jammu region alone, the Secondary Education system has been put on total adhocism and support system in the State.
According to authoritative sources, the shortage of teaching staff in higher secondary institutions has adversely affected the academic career of students. Though the primary and secondary education is the back bone of every progressive society world over as it shapes its future, but unfortunately the system in the State is in doldrums, sources added.
Sources said maximum posts remained unfilled after the retirement of Lecturers and Principals as no attention was paid to the same by the Government till date despite the public out cry.
Sources said some educational institutions are facing total official apathy and in Doda district eight Higher Secondary Schools are functioning without lecturers while 12 Higher Secondary Schools in the same district are functioning with one lecturer each.
Sources said 75 posts of lecturers and five posts of Principals are lying vacant in Jammu district alone while the Doda district tops all other districts in the region which has a shortage of 344 Plus Two Lecturers and five HoDs in DIETs equivalent to post of Principals.
This is followed by Rajouri which has a shortage of 236 lecturers and three Principals while in Udhampur district 183 posts of Plus Two Lecturers and two posts of principals are unfilled for a pretty long time. Kathua district is facing the shortage of 155 Plus 2 Lecturers and five Principals. In addition to it there is one post of DIET Principal vacant in the district which is equivalent to post of CEO, sources added.
Sources said Kishtwar district has a shortage of 118 lecturers and six Principals while Samba has a shortage of 32 lecturers and one Principal. The Reasi district has a shortage of 70 lecturers and two Principals and Ramban 69 lecturers and two Principals.
They said notwithstanding the claims of improving the standard of education and providing quality education in the State, the secondary education is functioning on support system and on the basis of adhocism. “How can the Government expect better results and quality education from these schools when they lack faculty and basic infrastructure’’ sources added.
Sources said in those educational institutions where the subject lecturers are not available the increments of Principals are kept withheld for the bad results and poor performance in examinations while they are not to blame.
Sources said though education sector has suffered a setback during 23 year long turmoil, with many educational institutions remaining closed in far-flung and remote areas for a long time, the authorities also made half hearted efforts to put this sector back on rails.
While the people from affluent classes and upper middle class afford to send their children to private education institutions, the shortage of teaching staff in higher secondary schools of the State has been a cause of concern for both students and their parents from middle, lower middle and poor families as they can’t afford to send their wards to private educational institutions.
To meet up the requirement of teaching staff the authorities have appointed lecturers on contract basis at a salary of Rs 7000 per month but this system has not also worked properly as maximum of lecturers on this salary are not willing to work in far-flung areas with the result the Higher Secondary Schools there function without teaching faculty, sources said.
Sources said while a private labour is paid Rs 300 per day as labour how can a lecturer work on academic arrangement of Rs 200 per day.
To overcome the dearth of the teaching faculty in schools and Higher Secondary institutions the Government should refer the vacant posts after every six months to DPC and PSC, sources said, adding this practice is not being followed in the State properly.
Sources said even the masters who are working as English lecturers in various higher secondary schools have not been promoted till date. Besides the seniority list of these English lecturers has also not been updated as it contains the names of those officials even now who have either retired, promoted or expired, sources added.
Sources said that there is also ambiguity in promotions of lecturers having PG Degrees with 10+2+2 and 10+2+3 pattern.
However the Commissioner/Secretary School Education Farooq Ahmed Factoo said that the Department has referred the posts falling under the direct recruitment norms to Public Service Commission (PSC) for direct recruitment while the other posts have been referred to Departmental Promotion Committee. He expressed optimism that DPC will issue the orders within a fortnight.
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