Despite orders from the State Information Commission and the Director General School Education (DGSE) seven months ago, office of the District Education Officer (DEO), Elementary, failed to give information sought under the RTI Act by former president of the Government Primary Teachers’ Association, Harkrishan Rai Joshi. Joshi had sought information regarding the promotion of the head teacher of Dhehpur Government Elementary School, Adampur. Surinder Kaur, the head teacher, has been due for promotion since 2007. The promotion, which was to be made at the DEO level, was put on hold on the pretext that the number of students in the school was less. Joshi then filed an RTI plea, asking the DEO to provide the government letter, mentioning that the teachers would not be promoted if the number of students was less.“There is no relation between promoting a teacher and the number of students,” said Joshi.When the DEO office did not submit information, the case was taken up with the State Information Commission (SIC), Punjab. On 31 March, the commission asked the DEO office to either produce the original letter from the government or give an affidavit about its non-availability.The DGSE also issued orders to the DEO office to comply with the orders of the SIC.Surinder Kaur had also appealed for a post in Masania village school, but the DEO failed to reply to her appeal. When contacted, DEO (Elementary) Joginder Das said he could not recall the case.
