One first day of opening of schools, administration deploys more than hundred government teachers for Covid-19 vaccination in Baramulla

Parents and VECs denounce the decision, says students and schools left to the mercy of official apathy  

Inayat Qayoom

Baramulla: While Primary and Middle schools of Kashmir division reopened after a gap two years, Department of Education deployed more than hundred government teachers for Covid-19 vaccination leaving already understaffed government Middle and primary schools  and students at the mercy of  ‘official apathy’.

An order for deployment of teachers for Covid-19 Vaccination has been issued by Chief Education Officer Baramulla vide No: CEO-Bla/Plg/5249 dated 06-03-2021 with reference to DMB/NO/COVID-19/2021/296 dated 05-03-2021 deployed more than one hundred government teachers of Covid-19 vaccination as ‘verifiers’ .

“As desired Deputy Commissioner Baramulla following teachers have been deployed as verifiers for Covi-19 vaccination and list is enclosed with the deployment order,” an official said.

The order draws strong criticism from parents and village education committees VECs which termed the decision of deployment as anti- student and anti-education.

“ It is very unfortunate that schools got opened after gap of two years but the teachers has been deployed for non-teaching assignments from the government schools which indicates who administration is serious about future of the students,” said a parent Abdul Rashid who has recently admitted his ward in government school during much hyped enrolment drive.

“When I asked about my Science subject teacher on the first day in my school, my headmaster told me that he has been deployed for Covid-19 vaccination so who which teach us Science subject,” said a student Shaheena for class 8th of government school.

When contacted Chief Education Officer Baramulla Ghulam Mohmmad about the deployment of more than hundred teachers for Covid-19 vaccination, he failed give any satisfactory reply, however, ironically  he said, “The deployment of the teachers won’t affect academics in the schools and the deployment has been done on the directions of DC Baramulla.”