Kupwara, May 17 : A single teacher is teaching around 45 students in a government primary school in a Kupwara village as another teacher appointed through Prime Minister’s Special Package for Kashmiri migrants has not attended to her duties from the last 10 months, despite drawing regular monthly salary.
The Primary School Khabanrad Zangli area in Kupwara has on its rolls more than 45 students and two teachers have been posted in it. Hussaina Akhtar posted as teacher under SSA and Goldy Dhar appointed few years ago as a teacher in the department under PMSP for Kashmiri pandits, are the only two teachers in the school. However, the officials and the teacher said that Dhar has been absent from her duties after she joined last year.
“The non-availability of teachers is jeopardising our career. A single teacher cannot teach us well,” a group of students told KNS.
The parents said that due to shortage of teaching staff in the school, their children have suffered. “It is unfortunate the education department is not providing adequate staff to our children,” the aggrieved parents told KNS.
Officials said that Dhar has been appointed in 2016 as a teacher in the department and is posted at Primary School Khabanrad Zangli
“But she is absent from her duty from that day when she was appointed. Her salary account has been credited by time to time, as per official records,” the officials said.
While talking to the Headmistress of the SSA primary school Hussaina told Kashmir News Service (KNS), that Dhar’s absence is a loss to the students.
“Goldy Dhar is an efficient teacher and would teach English and Mathematics in the school. She is a good motivational teacher but her absence is a big loss for the students,” she said.
“How can I teach all the subjects to more than 45 students studying here. I have also informed about the absence of the teacher to higher authorities,” she said.
Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Kupwara, Fareed Ahmad Khan, told KNS that they have sent a notice to Dhar about her absence.
“We have told her to come and resume her duty. But she hasn’t responded yet. We have informed higher authorities about the matter and to look into it because students are also facing problems and teaching also suffers due to her absence,” Khan told KNS.
The officials said that they have been ordered by higher authorities “not stop salary of any teacher appointed under the PM’s package.
CEO Kupwara Farooq Ahmad was not available for the comments. (KNS)