Teacher suspended for criticizing govt policies in J&K's Doda

Jammu: A teacher was placed under suspension for “disseminating confidential information and criticizing government policies” in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, officials said on Saturday.

The action against Grade-II teacher Fiaz Ahmed was taken after a video showing the dilapidated condition of his remote Government Middle School Draman in Bhatyas zone went viral on social media early this week.

The teacher is seen talking about the shabby accommodation, lurking threat to the lives of the minor students and inadequate staff to manage eight classes.

Chief Education Officer (Doda) Prakash Lal Thappa confirmed the teacher's suspension and said the department has sought a detailed project report (DPR) from the concerned department for repair of the school.

“The teacher was placed under suspension on Friday, while a DPR was sought from the Public Works Department for immediate repair of the school building,” Thappa told PTI.

In his suspension order issued on Friday, he said the department has taken a serious note of the viral video as the concerned teacher did not resist the entry of the unauthorized person into the premises and instead disseminated confidential information as well as criticized the government policies like ‘digital India’, school education policies and working of higher authorities in violation of service guidelines.

The teacher was asked to explain his position within two days on June 6 and his reply has been found ‘not satisfactory’ as well as ‘non convincing’, the order reads.

Therefore, pending inquiry into the matter, the teacher is placed under suspension with immediate effect and during the suspension period he shall remain attached to Higher Secondary School Chanti.

The order said a two-member committee comprising the principals of Higher Secondary School (girls) Thathri and Sartingal will conduct an in-depth inquiry into the alleged act of ‘violation of government instructions’ by the suspended teacher and shall furnish their report to this office within a stipulation of 21 days positively with specific recommendations.

The local residents said over 100 local students are enrolled in the school having a staff strength of four teachers, one of whom is not performing his duties for the past four years.

The school was upgraded to middle school over a decade ago and some more class rooms were added to it but were never completed, prompting the management to adjust the children in the two rooms of the old building that are also not repaired for a long time and posing a threat to the lives of the students, they said.

The teacher said they have raised the issue with the Zonal Education Officer several times.

He said one of the teachers is not performing his duties in the school, while another among the rest of the three is looking after the accounts section and only two of them are attending the class.