22 High Schools without Headmasters in Shopian, reveals RTI

Srinagar: Painting a grim picture of the education sector, a total of 22 High Schools in South Kashmir’s Shopian district are presently functioning without the Headmasters, thereby affecting the smooth functioning of these institutes.
A local news gathering agency reported that 22 High Schools in District Shopian are presently without Headmasters while two higher secondary schools are also functioning without Principals. This information was disclosed through a Right to Information (RTI) by an activist Nasir Khuehami.
Details reveal that two High Schools upgraded under erstwhile RMSA and SAMAGRA in District Shopian namely HS Batafojan and HS Saidpora are without creation of Headmaster posts.
“In District Shopian, 06 headmasters are currently having DDOs powers of various headless institutions,” the details reveal, adding that the total number of full-time Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) in Shopian district is just one that is Keegam.
It reveals that one ZEO is serving on an additional charge basis and two are operating with DDO powers granted to Principals.
As per details, there are 15 higher secondary schools and among them four are having full-time Principals while eight more have in charge principals and three have look after principals.
A total of 67 posts of lecturers are lying vacant in the district that includes Mathematics: 11, Urdu: 7, P/S: 6, P/E: 5, English: 5, Economics: 6, Arabic: 4 and History 4, it reads.
Meanwhile, the parents in Shopian voiced concerns over the shortage of staff and along with posts of principals and headmasters lying vacant in the district.
They said that the ground situation has punctured the tall claims of the government with regard to the improvement in the education sector and sought the immediate attention of Education Minister Sakina Itoo and Director School Education in this regard.