TURA, Oct 7: Allegation of anomalies in the appointment of five teachers by the School Managing Committee (SMC) of the JN Higher Secondary School in Phulbari, West Garo Hills, have come to the fore after reply to a Right to an RTI application was allegedly denied by the Office of the District School Education Officer (DSEO), West Garo Hills.
The Right to Information (RTI) application was filed by one Mostafizur Rehman, a resident of Phulbari.
“I filed an RTI to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the District School Education Officer (DSEO), West Garo Hills, on August 8, seeking information relating to the appointment of five assistant teachers of JN Higher Secondary School, who were recently interviewed on July 29. However, despite several visits to the DSEO, they were unable or unwilling to provide me with required information,” said Rehman.
“On September 19, the DSEO had provided to me in writing that the information I sought has not been provided by the school authorities to the office as yet,” he added.
Rehman, on the same day, had reportedly submitted a complaint to the non-furnishing of the information letter to the Office of the Joint Director of School Education & Literacy, Tura.
The office, as per Rehman, had sought three days to take necessary steps and issued him a letter on September 21, reiterating the reply earlier provided to him.
“It has now been almost two months but they still refuse to provide the information I sought through my RTI,” Rehman said, contending that the authorities have failed to comply with the rules and regulations of the RTI Act, 2005.
Rehman felt the non-furnishing of information he sought is a clear indicator that something was amiss in the recruitment process as several others too have complained on similar lines.
The department concerned as well as the school authorities could not be contacted for comment on the issue.
