BPEO ignores Education Dept directive, three teachers shifted

Despite strict instructions from the Secretary (Education) that no teacher is to be sent on deputation to any other school, the Block Primary Education Officer (BPEO) of the Fatehgarh Churian education block, Pohla Singh, has sent three teachers on deputation, triggering resentment among the teaching fraternity.

According to rules, permanent deputations are banned. However, under extraordinary circumstances, a teacher may be sent on temporary deputation, also called RG (temporary) duty, for a maximum of 30 days and that too with prior permission from the Secretary.

BPEO Pohla Singh, who was transferred 15 days ago following a complaint by a woman teacher, has deputed Pawandeep Kaur, Saleena and Vijay Kumar to other schools, thus making a mockery of the Secretary’s orders. The erroneous orders were endorsed by Inderjit Singh, a clerk working in the BPEO office. “I have just endorsed the BPEO’s orders and have done nothing wrong,” said Inderjit Singh.

When news of this violation spread among teachers, a woman teacher, Sukhpreet Kaur Gill, became the whistle-blower and alerted senior officials. Instead of withdrawing the orders, some employees of the BPEO got together and burnt her effigy.

When contacted, District Education Officer (DEO), Primary, Paramjit Kaur said, “I have been informed of this infringement and have ordered an inquiry. I have also informed senior officials in Chandigarh.”

Sources disclose Paramjit Kaur had herself endorsed the Secretary’s orders warning officials of sending teachers on deputation.

“When the DEO (Primary) herself endorsed the orders, there was no need to mark an inquiry. She is just buying time and is trying to save the erring BPEO. She should have taken action the moment she got to know that the teachers had been posted to other schools,” said Harjinder Singh Wadala Bangar, president of the Gurdaspur unit of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), a powerful organization, which looks after the interests of the teaching community across the state.

Meanwhile, the post of Fatehgarh Churian BPEO has been lying vacant for over the last 15 days ever since Pohla Singh was shifted. — TNS