Srinagar, June 07(KNO) : Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has drawn flak for suspending on-leave staff of a government school on the day of Arafah, a day ahead of Eid, in Srinagar. Reports reaching to KNO said that the DSEK Muhammad Younis Malik on Tuesday suspended more than half a dozen teachers for their unauthorised absence from schools during official hours in three schools in Habak area on the outskirts of Srinagar city.
The director school education was accompanied by the concerned Zonal Education Officer (ZEO). However, an official told KNO that the teachers posted at Government Middle School Baghat-e-Shoor, where four teachers were suspended had submitted a proper leave for half-day.
“All the four teachers had submitted a formal leave which was also marked on the arrival register of the school," the teachers told KNO. They said that DSEK misbehaved with the staffers and took the arrival register along with him. "The Director was extremely rude with the staff present in the school," they told KNO.
An official of the Education Department said that the DSEK has gone against the rules by suspending the on-leave teachers. “He cannot suspend the teachers who had submitted a formal leave," he told KNO. Also, on Thursday, the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Srinagar on the directions of DSEK suspended five teachers at government middle school Shalteng on second day of Eid, evoking massive public outcry from different quarters.
The social media was flooded with posts against the directorate for its action against the teachers with netizens criticizing the department for harassing the teachers. “It was a day of Eid celebrations but the department is harassing teachers for remaining away from schools. The attendance in all government departments remained thin on Thursday but only teachers were made a soft target,” wrote a Facebook user.
Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Muhammad Younis Malik said he didn’t misbehave with any teacher on Arfa during his inspection to schools. “We have suspended teachers on that day but we will reconsider the decision,” he told KNO.
Meanwhile, a top source in education department said the department has decided to revoke the suspension order of teachers ordered on second day of Eid. “The suspension order was issued after locals registered complaint against the teachers for remaining absent in school. But the department will revoke it,” he told KNO. (KNO)