Poonch, July 25 :
Recent transfer decisions involving Urdu teachers in the Poonch district have sparked a serious debate over equity and transparency in the education system, especially in rural zones like Mandi, Bufliaz, and Lathoong.
In a surprising move, three Urdu teachers were transferred from far-flung schools in these backward areas to institutions located in Poonch town. While the official order mentions that these transfers are “till further orders pending approval,” the fact that such a move was initiated without prior clearance from competent authorities has raised eyebrows.
What’s more concerning is that ZEO Poonch appears to be the only official to have shown proactive involvement in facilitating the transfers, while ZEOs of Mandi, Bufliaz, and Lathoong remained silent, despite losing teachers. The key questions remain unanswered:
Were the original schools actually surplus in staff?
Were replacements provided to the affected schools?
Was there any justified administrative need for the reshuffle?
Education experts and stakeholders argue that ad-hoc and selective postings weaken the education delivery in already underserved regions. Such favoritism not only undermines the morale of genuine teachers working in difficult terrains but also deepens the urban-rural divide in education access.
“Students in remote villages deserve the same quality of education as those in towns. Playing with teacher allocations for convenience or favoritism is unacceptable,” said a retired education officer.
There is now growing demand for a comprehensive review of such transfers, with a transparent and needs-based teacher deployment policy to ensure that no rural school is left behind.
