Activist serves legal notice on Himachal Education Department over vacant posts in school

A local social activist has served a legal notice on the Secretary and Director, Education Department, Shimla, demanding the filling up of vacant posts at Government Senior Secondary School, Padhar, in Jawali Assembly constituency within 15 days.

As per information, activist Sadhu Ram Rana, who is up-pradhan of Dole Bhatehar gram panchayat, has served the notice under Section 80 of the CPC on August 23, alleging that apathy of the department in filling sanctioned posts was a violation of Right to Education Act-2009 and Article 21A of the Constitution.

Despite persistent public demand, the state Education Department has failed to fill the vacant posts, including principal, a lecturer each in Hindi, History, English and Political Science, and one senior assistant.

After raising the issue multiple times in the past three years with the state government, Education Department and in the media, Sadhu Ram finally served a legal notice.

In the notice, a copy of which is with The Tribune, Rana has given 15-day time for filling all vacant posts. He stated that he would file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on behalf of the people of the area and parents of students in the High Court against the Education Department if the latter failed to fill vacant posts.

Sadhu Ram alleged that high school-level teachers were being made to teach students of Classes XI and XII compromising the quality of education. The school was upgraded to the senior secondary level in 2016. Significantly, the school catered to students from three gram panchayats of Sihuni, Dole-Bhatehar and Padhar and had recorded enrolment of 50 students in Classes XI and XII in its maiden academic session 2017-18. However, the enrolment has come down to 18 students in the current academic session.

The state government recruited 541 school lecturers this year and the Education Department recently appointed these lecturers in different senior secondary schools across the state, but this school is facing neglect for the past two-and-half years.

The Tribune had also highlighted the plight of people of the area on May 23. The Education Department had taken cognisance and deployed four lecturers from the nearby GSSS, Harchakian, on deputation to Padhar school on May 25. Following public pressure, the deputation duty of these lecturers was annulled after one week. Recently, the local authorities deputed English and Hindi lecturers from GSSS, Nadoli, to the Padhar school. The local residents and parents have expressed their anguish over alleged neglect the school is being subjected to.