Nine teachers of two government schools in the mountainous Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir have been placed under suspension for not hoisting the national flag in their educational institutions on the occasion of the 76th Independence Day.
A three-member inquiry committee has been constituted to inquire into the whole episode so as to take further action against these erring teachers.
"After getting information that national flags were not hoisted in two government schools in Mughal Maidan area of Inderwal educational zone, nine teachers have been placed under suspension with immediate effect", Chief Education Officer (CEO) Kishtwar Sudershan Kumar Sharma told International Bussiness Times.
The CEO said that after getting initial information all the nine teachers of two schools in the Inderwal zone have been placed under suspension.
"Further action will be taken only after getting the report of the inquiry committee", he said and added that a three-member inquiry panel has been asked to submit the report within ten days.
Despite strict instructions, teachers skipped Independence Day functions in their schools
Notwithstanding strict instructions issued by the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of all districts of Jammu and Kashmir for hoisting the national flags in schools on the occasion of 76th Independence Day, teachers of two schools in Kishtwar districts skipped the functions.
Reports said that despite instructions from the higher-ups, not even a single teacher turned up to hold the Independence Day function in two schools namely Middle School Batwari and Primary School Khandole in the Inderwal zone.
After getting information that not even a single teacher is present in two schools, the district administration immediately approached the local Panchayat members to hoist National Flags on the premises of both the schools.
According to reports, it was at about 11.30 am on Independence Day that prominent villagers along with local Panchayat members hoisted the National Flags in both the schools and celebrated the national festival.
Taking a serious note of the whole episode all the teachers posted at Primary School Khandole and Middle School Batwari in the Inderwal zone were placed under suspension with immediate effect till pending inquiry.
The teachers include Rafiq Ahmed, Piyare Lal, Ayaz Ahmed, Sajjad Ahmed Wani, Farooq Ahmed Bumal, Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Wani, Mohammad Sikandar, Shaida Banoo, and Ghulam Hussain Butt have been placed under suspension.
Three-member panel to submit a report in 10 days
According to reports, after the incident a three-member inquiry committee comprising ZEPO Shahnawaz, Ravinder Singh Headmaster High School Gurinala, and Zahida Tabassum, Headmaster High School Singpora was constituted. The panel will conduct an in-depth inquiry into the matter and will submit the detailed report to CEO Kishtwar to proceed with further action in the matter.
