25/4 embarrassment
18 teachers suspended after found absent from class rooms and gossiping in staff room
The educational standards hit a new low on Friday as the students of 4th and 5th standard of Girls High School Bemina couldn’t write 25 divided by four while all the 18 teachers of the school were suspended after found gossiping in the staff room.
Director School Education Kashmir, Shah Faesal, said he conducted surprise inspection of the Girls High School Bemina and suspended 18 teachers after they were found absent from their classrooms.
He said the students of 4th and 5th standard of the school failed to write even the ‘twenty-five divided by four’.
“I refuse to believe that at a time when we are talking so much about reform in education sector, teachers continue to be indifferent and callous. Is Education department only for transfers and postings and salaries and promotions? Is our conscience dead, is there no shame left in us. Someone help me to find answers,” Faesal wrote in his Facebook post.
Though he had not disclosed the name of the educational institution in the post, he later told that he visited Girls High School Bemina where the teachers were suspended.
He said during the inspection carried out this morning, all the teachers were found sitting in the staff room instead of teaching the students in the classroom.
The department had deployed 18 teachers for 110 students in the school.
Officials said the Head Master of the school was on leave for training and the action followed the surprise visit by the Director today.
They said the school had been showing poor performance in the exams repeatedly.
Faesal in his Facebook post said the garbage was littered all around the school and no one had ever bothered to clean it up.
“Class 4 and 5 students couldn’t even write twenty five divided by four not to speak of solving it. One of the dirtiest schools in Kashmir and from 1 to 10 all classes vacant with teachers sitting in the staff room,” read the post.
After suspending the teachers, Faesal warned that no salary will be released to them and they will be reinstated only after the results and discipline improves in the school.
“They will be given salary only after the discipline and learning levels of the children from the poor families improve,” added Faesal.
