Sixteen school heads have returned to work.

Education Minister Aseri Radrodro confirms that the 16 heads of schools who were reporting to the Ministry of Education headquarters at the beginning of the year have now returned to their respective schools.

Radrodro says the school heads had been directed to report to headquarters due to allegations of misconduct and referrals made by divisional education officers, the Director of Human Resources and deputy secretaries.

Opposition MP Hem Chand had asked the Minister through a written parliamentary question to clarify the number of teachers reporting to Ministry headquarters and district education offices.

The questions also covered the number of post holders reporting due to acting appointments in their substantive positions and whether officers were occupying positions that no longer exist within the Ministry.

Radrodro acknowledged that some positions within the Ministry had been restructured or abolished as part of previous education administration reforms.

He says despite these changes, the Ministry remains committed to transparency and due diligence, ensuring all staffing arrangements align with approved budgeted positions.

The Minister says the Ministry continues to apply the person-to-post principle during staff movements and recruitment exercises to maintain accountability in human resource management.

Radrodro also highlighted ongoing challenges with teacher transfers, noting that some teachers are unwilling to accept postings under the Ministry’s transfer policy due to personal reasons, including medical and family circumstances.

He says teachers transferred to replace those officers are often left without placements and become surplus staff.

As a result, these officers are required to report back to the Ministry until suitable positions become available.

Radrodro says the measures are aimed at ensuring resources are used efficiently while maintaining the Ministry’s focus on improving the quality of education for students.