Information officer must in DEOs now

KATHMANDU, March 8: The Department of Education (DoE) has directed its district-based offices to appoint information officer within a week to provide necessary information regarding its activities to service seekers.

The DoE's issued the directive after the National Information Commission (NIC)'s expressed concern over the fact that service seekers are being deprived of their right to information. The DoE has also directed the District Education Offices (DEO) and the regional educational directorates to inform the service seekers about the progress to the Communication Coordination Section of the department within a week.

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“The DEOs have to pick the information officers on their own. These officers would be responsible for providing necessary information to service seekers,” reads a statement issued by Kamal Gyanwali, deputy director at DoE. “Make all the arrangements required to set up an information section,” it adds.

A recent report issued by the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) shows that 2,900 cases out of total 22,602 corruption cases are related to the education sector. Free flow of information to service seekers is expected to curb corruption in the education sector.

The DEOs have also been asked to keep their websites updated.

As per the RTI Act 2007, the offices would have to issue progress report and other documents of public concern every three months. The RTI Act guarantees people's right to seek information regarding issues of public concern from any public authority.