By Asif Iqbal Naik ,Kishtwar May 25:- Students along with people of Marwah held protest against the shortage of teaching staff in Higher Secondary School Yardoo of Marwah Tehsil in Kishtwar District. The agitating people blames on successive government for ignoring Marwah Tehsil on education front as according to the people there is only one lecturer posted in HSS Yardoo against 700 students studding in this school which is considered as most backward area in state of Jammu and Kashmir in terms of living standard of the common people of the area is concerned.
While talking to the Early Times over satellite telephone Nazir Ahmed said that despite repeated request to the government and local representatives, HSS Yardoo is without staff and said that only one Persian lecturer is post in Marwah Tehsil for 700 students. He said that few months ago three teachers were appointed on adhoc bases, but now they too were engaged for exam duty as a result of which the teaching practice in HSS Yardoo comes to halt. He said that the people left with no other option but to protest. The protesting students along with the people held a protest march from Yardoo to Navapachi by covering the distance of more than 4 KM and held a Dharna outside the office of Tehsildar Marwah, but fail to meet Tehsildar Marwah who hardly attended the duty and mostly remained confined at District HQ Kishtwar. “We have no road, no electricity, no communication and no teachers to teach out students— are we human beings or simply animals.” Said angry protestor Javed Ahmed on phone. The agitating people seek the intervention of elected representatives to overcome with the problem of shortage of staff and absenteeism culture. They also demanded that three adhoc teachers deputed for examination duty should immediately be released and fresh staff should be deputed from Kishtwar to conduct the 10+2 examination scheduled from tomorrow. The agitating people were pacified only after some employees of revenue department and police assured them that they will apprise the Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar through wireless massage about their demands.
While confirming the protest by the people in Marwah over shortage of staff in HSS Yardoo, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Saleem Mohammad said that he had already discussed the matter of shortage of staff in various schools of Kishtwar District with Director School Education Jammu. He said that he too had conveyed him about Marwah protest. He said that Director School Education has assured him to overcome with the problem shortly. He said that he had also discussed him about the issue of delay in issuing the orders to 113 teachers selected through SSRB.
Meanwhile MLA Kishtwar Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo said that education department has several time notified the vacant posts of lecturer and teachers for Marwah zone on adhoc bases, but said that no one among the educated youths applied for the job since they are not ready to do the job @ Rs. 7000/month in remote area like Marwah and Warwan; where there is still fresh snowfall going on. He said that keeping in view of hostile weather condition and topography of the area, he had already suggested the government for appointing the lecturers and teachers @ Rs. 15000/month. He said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had already agreed the proposal and said that within a week’s time, the government will accorded sanction to his proposal. He said that 5 teachers from adjoining Anantnag District has already joined their duties in Warwan and said that he is hopeful that more educated youths will come forward once the government accorded sanction to his proposal.