The students of Government High School (GHS) Balihote Monday staged a demonstration against the education department and blocked the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for over a couple of hours.
Scores of students trekked nearly 15 kilometres from their village and staged a sit-in on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway at Bowali Bazar, Ramban. Besides, they also blocked the Ramban-Gool road.
The protesting students alleged, “The administration has been in deep slumber since 2013. The school building allotted to our village under RMSA in 2013 still lies incomplete. Besides, the unavailability of staff is making us suffer. Our careers are at stake but the government doesn’t seem to care.”
They also accused the Chief Education Officer, Ramban, and other officials of the Education department of indulging in corruption. “There is a nexus between the Chief Education Officer and the attached teachers. They pay the officer money to be attached at postings of their choice, while the areas that are in dire need of staff continue to suffer,” they alleged.
After receiving information about the protest, Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, Ramban, Harbans Lal, along with other officers reached the spot and tried to pacify the protesters. He assured the students that their demands will be looked into.
