Headmistress, who accused officials of harassment, meets Edu Secretary

Tribune News Service

Avneet Kaur

Nawanshahr, March 21

Minakshi Bhalla, headmistress at Government High School, Sanawa, Nawanshahr, who had accused officials of the District Education Department of causing her mental harassment, has written a complaint to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and even met Education Secretary Jaspreet Talwar in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

In her complaint to the CM, she alleged that her case of clearing the probation period after completing three years of service as headmistress was being delayed by DEO office officials for the past about two months by raising unnecessary objections.

She said the clearance of her probation period was being held on the ground that a complaint has been received against her.

“However, the complaint in question was received after the completion of my probation period. Therefore, it’s not a valid objection for which her case is being delayed unnecessarily,” she alleged.

“How can the demand of withdrawing DDO powers from a headmistress be termed as a complaint against her? Bhalla questioned alleging that it seemed some conspiracy was being hatched against her and the DEO office is using the complaint against her so as to delay the process of clearance of her probation period.

She further said as per the instructions of the Education Department, it was the duty of the DEOs to get the verification of the degrees done from the universities. “The degrees of the headmaster/headmistress joining the Education Department are verified within the three months of joining. Besides, in direct recruitment through PPSC, only those candidates could apply against the post of headmaster who has got experience of seven years working as a teacher in the education department. If it is so, why are the documents being verified time and again,” she asked.

In her complaint to the CM and Education Secretary, she sought action against the officials. Meanwhile, she also said the Education Secretary has assured that she will look into the matter and will do the needful. Nawanshahr DEO Kultaranjit Singh couldn’t be contacted.