Mumbai: 100 of 132 education inspector positions in city are vacant

Women protesting outside the Badlapur police station following the rape-assault of two toddlers last month. File pic

Following the Badlapur school incident, questions have been raised about the safety of children in schools. Currently, in Mumbai, nearly 100 posts of education inspectors - responsible for auditing schools in the city - out of the mandatory 132, have been lying vacant. There are around 3,000 schools in the city, including 1,129 civic-run ones. The responsibilities of these education inspectors include conducting regular visits to schools in Mumbai, conducting safety audits at schools and assessing the quality of education, among other things related to the functioning of the school.

According to civic officials, education inspectors have to possess a degree in BA or BSc, with a BEd and seven years of teaching experience.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Shikshan Sena president, K P Naik said that according to civic guidelines, there should be one inspector for 250 teachers, at civic-run, aided and private schools. These inspectors need to randomly visit the teachers and schools at least once a year. As several posts are vacant, the BMC has given this additional responsibility to the principals of civic-run schools. "But the additional work given to the principals comes in the way of their regular school work," Naik said.

There are around 3,000 schools in Mumbai, including 1,129 civic-run ones. Representation pic

"I had sent a letter to Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr Amit Saini and demanded that all vacant education inspector posts be filled immediately,"
Naik added.

As per civic guidelines, 50 per cent of education inspector posts are filled by direct entry and the remainder are filled through departmental promotions from the school education department of the BMC.

An official from the civic schools' department confirmed that several education inspector posts are vacant. The process to fill these posts has started and the BMC has finalised around 30-35 civic school principals for the post, but their appointment is pending.

After the Badlapur incident, the state government decided to strengthen the safety and security of all schools. As per a resolution published on August 21, the government appointed a state-level committee to review the safety of students. The state government has also ordered CCTV cameras in schools and verification of character certificates of all contractual non-teaching staff like security guards, cleaning staff, and school bus staff.

Appointment of female staff for children below six years of age is mandatory. It was also ordered that complaint boxes be installed on the school premises and an internal committee be formed to resolve grievances.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr Amit Saini did not respond to messages.

"Primary schools are controlled by the BMC. So, it is necessary that this kind of crucial post doesn't lie vacant. The authorities should immediately start the process of filling these posts," said Rohit Dhanawade, a parent from Charkop.

A parent from Bandra East, on condition of anonymity, said, "There is greater need for security in the primary sections. It is shocking that the city only has 32 out of 132 education inspectors. This is a gross laxity on the part of BMC."

The principal of a city school, when approached for a comment, said the issue was related to the BMC and hence they couldn't talk about it.

3K
No. of schools across the city

30-35
No. of civic school principals finalised