Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government has been promoting Sandipani schools as institutions equipped with world-class facilities, but around 70% of their principal posts are currently vacant.
Of the 275 Sandipani schools operating across MP, only 66 have regular principals while 179 are functioning under in-charge principals. The situation is similar in other higher secondary schools.
Of the 3,599 higher secondary schools in the state, around 2,500 have vacant principal posts and are also being run by in-charge principals.
The vacancy has continued even after the government lifted the ban on promotions in the school education department.
After the ban was lifted, 1,079 lecturers were promoted to the post of high school principal, while 509 high school principals were promoted to higher secondary principal posts.
After promotions, posting orders are required to ensure that the schools continue to function smoothly.
However, the posting file is yet to move forward in the department, leaving principal posts vacant in both Sandipani and general schools.
Posting proposal awaits approval
The department issued promotion orders for higher secondary principals on August 13 after the government lifted the promotion ban. The orders stated that posting orders would be issued separately at a later stage.
According to department sources, officials have proposed posting teachers promoted as high school or higher secondary principals at their existing schools.
The proposal has been prepared with the intention of avoiding disruption to the functioning of schools.
Officials believe that transferring promoted principals from one school to another in the middle of the academic session will disturb the existing school arrangements.
Posting them at their current schools will allow the schools to continue functioning without major administrative changes.
However, the proposal to post the promoted teachers at their existing schools has not yet received approval from the department's minister.
Until the posting orders are issued, a large number of schools will continue to function without regular principals.
