Qualification ‘altered’ to transfer physics teacher for teaching math

Vikram Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 9

The Directorate of School Education (DSE) has been caught on the wrong foot after the department issued an order for the deployment of a teacher with an MPhil in physics to a school after altering his qualification to MPhil in mathematics.

The issue came to light when a government order No CEO/P23174-79, dated November 28, issued by the Chief Education Officer, Poonch, to Zonal Education Officer, Mankote, read that Sahil Kumar, teacher (MPhil mathematics), Middle School Keni, be deployed at Higher Secondary School, Gahni.

The order further read that since there was no mathematics teacher in Gahni, so the teacher, Sahil Kumar, be deployed in the school till further orders as the students of the school were suffering.

The conspicuous finding in the order was established when the qualification of the teacher, who was MPhil Physics as per his academic records and degree possessed by him, was altered and written as MPhil mathematics.

As per the sources in the department, the bizarre and “deliberate commission of error” was done to harass the teacher, who has been posted at Government Middle School, Keni, since September 15, 2014. Mohammad Iqbal, teacher, Middle Schools, Boys, Mankote, has already joined in place of Sahil.

When contacted, Chief Education Officer, Poonch Lal Hussain expressed his ignorance over the issuance of any such order.

“I don’t think, I have released any such order. And if that has been done so, I would have to go into the records to check it,” was a lame excuse given by the CEO, Poonch, who was not able to give any clarification on the mistake committed by him.

All transfers, deployments or attachments by the Director, School Education, have been closed after the Education Ministry’s recent orders.

“In certain circumstances, when the need arises, we can deploy, transfer or post any teacher to any place,” said the CEO, Poonch.

Zonal Education Officer, Mankote, Iqbal Singh, who got the CEO’s order vide No ZEOM/567-69 on November 29 to deploy Sahil Kumar as a mathematics teacher in Higher Secondary School, Gahni, gave a vague reply.

“Since there is a shortage of mathematics teachers in the school, such deployment was necessary and the order was passed. Besides, a teacher having MPhil physics qualification can teach mathematics also,” was the absurd answer he gave.

Meanwhile, Director, School Education, Babila Rakwal, who came to know about the “act” of her subordinates, assured of a strict action against the defaulters.

Meanwhile, the copy of the order is marked to the Director, School Education, also by the CEO, Poonch, Lal Hussain.