Mumbai : Office of the Deputy Director (Mumbai region) and two districts level education offices are headless besides several other posts remain vacant, education activists, a sign, they claim, of government’s apathy towards education in the state, particularly in Mumbai division.
The office of the Deputy Director Mumbai region is virtually lying vacant since last four month as Deputy Director, DB Fadtare was on leave for several months. When he joined back, he was suspended on certain charges related to online admission fraud. His successor N D Chavan took charge as Deputy Director. However he was also suspended last week.
Deputy Director Mumbai region includes six districts – West Mumbai, South Mumbai and North Mumbai Raigad, Thane and newly establish Palghar district. Two out of total six districts do not have district Education Officer also known as Education Inspector in Mumbai city. West Mumbai district and Thane district do not have Education Officers whereas North Mumbai district education office does not have Deputy Education Inspectors. The worst case is with the newly formed Palghar district. On August 15, 2014 government formed Palghar district out of Thane district with objective to give more focus on the development of tribal majority pockets on west coast.
A senior officer attached to the Palghar district administration said on the condition of anonymity, “More than a year since formation of Palghar district, it has virtually no staff. Most of the work is done from Thane district education office. In case, they require junior staff like clerk to write some reports, they call staff from other offices for temporary basic.”
In the North Mumbai Education Inspector’s office at least 22 posts out of total 59 posts are lying vacant. It includes four Deputy Education Inspectors, one Assistant Inspector, five senior clerk and six junior clerks.
Education Activist Anil Bornare said, “The state government which boasts of development of education system and new education policies, seems to be turning blind towards education department and lack of adequate staff members.
These posts are very crucial for implementation of education policies at root level.”
Vishnudas Sheshrao
