Scores of Zones, hundreds of High Schools and a number of Higher Secondary Schools all across Kashmir Valley are headless. Details available with Current News Service reveal that monitoring and supervision of the government- run schools and Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) has been hit in several districts as they are functioning without ZEOs, Principals and Headmasters. In Pampore Zone of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district that has all but 87 government schools is without Zonal Education Officer from past many months.Several zones of district Kupwara, Anantnag and Budgam have been functioning without ZEO’s. There is no ZEO in Bidar zone of Anantnag district while in Baramulla, the Directorate of Education has not bothered to appoint ZEO’s in proper Baramulla, Singhpora Kalan, Dangiwacha Rafiabad and Fathegarh. Similarly no ZEO’s have been appointed in Dragmuall, Kralpora, Tanghdar zones of district Kupwara. In Hardpanzoo zone of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the office of the ZEO is almost closed.
The data reveals that there are no Principals and headmasters in 12 High Schools of District Budgam alone. Some of the Higher Secondary schools that are without Principals include the Higher Secondary schools at Sallar, Larnu, Marhama, Siri Gufwara, Hillar and Warpora of District Anantnag, Higher Secondary School Khanda and Pampore in Pulwama district, Langate, Karnah, Keran and Kralpora in district Kupwara.A senior official in Education Department told CNS that lack of interest, negligence and faulty policies are some the factors that have been eating vitals of the education system in the State. “There is no accountability. Large number of posts remaining vacant is one of the primary causes for poor performance of schools during 10th and 12th examinations,” he said.
When contacted, Director School Education Kashmir Showkat Ahmed Beigh told CNS that vacancies of Principals and ZEO’s would be filled up within two to three days. He admitted that number of Government Higher Secondary Schools and High Schools are headless. “These posts are filled up by the Secretariat. We have already sent a proposal there and hopefully these will be filled up within two to three days. We have also been mulling to mulling to promote some senior masters to Headmasters so that Institutions function under a proper head,” he said. (CNS)