The Government has regularized the services of 493 eligible Rehabar-e-Taleem Teachers of Jammu division as the Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and Minister of state for Education and Culture, Priya Sethi handed over the confirmation orders to the educators at a function, here today.With this batch, the total number of ReTs regularized in Jammu region this year has reached to 1193. The Directorate of School education, Jammu had confirmed services of 700 eligible ReTs earlier this year.Secretary, School Education, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Chairman Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education, Veena Pandita, Director School Education Jammu Ravindar Singh, Project Director SarvaShikhsha Abhiyan(SSA) were also present at the function.Addressing a jam-packed audience of senior functionaries of the department and representatives of teacher and ReT forums, Minister for Education, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari listed series of reforms taken and those in the pipeline to raise the education standard in Government Schools and address the issues of serving and retired teaching fraternity. The Education Minister announced to establish a dedicated office of Nodal Officer in Kashmir and Jammu Education directorates to address the issues of retired educators, including Principals, Headmasters, Masters and Teachers with regard to their promotional regularization, gratuity, pension cases and others.
“The state owes a lot to the former educators who dedicated their lives to enlighten the people with education and achieve us what we are today. I firmly believe that they continue to be the partners in the department and their issues need to be solved on priority” the Minister asserted. He asked the department to give first priority to the retried officials, while regularizing the promotion of incharge Principals, Headmasters and ZEOs.The Minister also informed that the Government is mulling to establish Teachers Welfare Fund on the pattern of Police department. He said orders have already been issued to concern to complete homework and come up with a workable mechanism for handling the Fund. He said the state Government led by Chief Minister want to restore and raised the dignity for the teaching fraternity as they are the only inspiring force for the young generation. Congratulating the confirmed teachers, the Minister expressed happiness over the fact that all the regularized ReTs are Postgraduates with magnificent service record. He asked them to redouble their efforts and give their best to the students to dispel the wrong notions about their competence.
“Your confirmation is not a favour but your right. ReTs are backbone of the education department in rural areas so you need to come up to expectations of the people and government by giving your best”, the Minister advised them.Minister of state for Education, Priya Sethi, urged the teachers to leave indelible footprints in their service to the society, while assuring that all their issues will be addressed in similar way.“I think confirmation of eligible ReTs was pending for quite long time and the Chief Minister, state Cabinet and the Minister for Education were keen to address this and all other issues,” she said adding that the process of deliverance has been set in and it would be taken to its logical end.However, she asked the teaching fraternity to shoulder their crucial responsibility to serve the young generation particularly the rural students who have minimum access to quality education.Secretary Education also presented the counters of the education policy of the department and assured to explore all options to take school education system to new highs.