Convener News Desk
Bandipora, August 2: An alarming shortage of school heads and teaching staff has pushed the education sector in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district into a deep crisis, a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has revealed.
According to the RTI findings, 18 high schools are functioning without headmasters, and only 3 of 21 higher secondary schools in the district have full-time principals.
The remaining 18 higher secondary institutions are being managed by “look-after” or temporary principals, without the full administrative authority required to effectively run the schools. Even more concerning, only four out of the 21 higher secondary schools have Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) powers, leaving the rest unable to manage funds independently.
The report also exposed a severe lecturer shortage of 163 positions across various academic subjects. This includes 27 vacancies in Political Science, 19 in Urdu, 16 in Mathematics, 15 in Education, 12 each in Physics and Economics, and 10 in History. Other subjects also reflect alarming deficits, leaving thousands of students without access to subject-specific instruction.
Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, who filed the RTI, said the education system in Bandipora is “on crutches,” suffering from chronic administrative neglect and policy inaction. “Schools are running without heads, teachers are handling multiple roles without support, and students are deprived of quality education,” he said in a statement.
He further warned that this administrative breakdown is leading to a collapse of academic governance and accountability. “A dysfunctional structure has emerged where teachers are forced to manage both academic and administrative duties, compromising the quality of both,” Khuehami added.
The Students Association has appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene immediately. The group has demanded the urgent appointment of qualified headmasters, principals, and subject lecturers, along with the restoration of full administrative powers to school heads.
If the vacancies are not filled on a priority basis, Khuehami warned, the academic future of thousands of students in Bandipora district could be irreparably harmed, deepening the education gap in the region.
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