AALO, Jan 21: Eight government lower primary (LP) schools under the Yomcha-Liromoba educational block in West Siang district have been found to be completely defunct since the beginning of the 2018-19 academic session.
This was disclosed by West Siang Deputy Director of School Education (DDSE) Eto Ete after making unannounced visits to various schools in Liromoba, Yomcha, Darak and Kamba.
The DDSE said the LP schools in Daba Gamlin, Kela Ronya, Sari Likar, Gadmesi, Tego Gamlin, Belo, Kadai and Kerse Kerte were found to be completely non-functional, and that the status of these schools had not been reported to the authority.
Ete said punitive actions like ‘no work no pay’, transfer, and deduction of salary would be initiated against the erring teachers of the defunct schools who drew salaries and incentives, including the midday meal (MDM) scheme, but failed to report the status of their schools.
He also said implementation of the MDM scheme in the schools in Liromoba and Yomcha was quite unsatisfactory, “with no records of receipts and feedings of midday meals.”
During his visit, the DDSE thoroughly examined the teachers’ performance, surveyed CMSSY projects, scrutinized the implementation of the MDM scheme, and verified students’ enrollment.
He also interacted with the villagers, teachers, non-teaching staffers, and students.
“The practice of furnishing inflated figures in terms of enrollment has been found to be rampant. The erring officials will be taken to task for their deliberant offence,” the DDSE said.
It was reported that the BRCC and the CRCC seldom visit the schools, which may be the reason for the inflated enrollment figures. “The services of the BRCC and the CRCC in furnishing SDMIS and UDISE DCF were found totally neglected,” the DDSE said.
He, however, observed that some teachers and non-teaching staffers of the department are giving their best to impart quality education despite communication bottleneck and inhospitable terrains.
Ete visited 19 schools to gather firsthand information regarding implementation of the MDM scheme and the CMSSY, and the actual enrollment of students in the schools.
The DDSE was accompanied by Aalo West BEO Kento Ngomdir, MDM coordinator Iken Bagra, Aalo East BRCC Taken Kamum, and MIS coordinator Doba Loyi. (DIPRO)
