The complaint box at the JEPC office in Dhanbad on Wednesday. (Gautam Dey)

To ensure total transparency in functioning, Dhanbad district education officer (DEO) Dharmadeo Rai has introduced shikayat peti (complaint box) at three offices under his jurisdiction.

Grievances can henceforth be registered — if need be, anonymously — at the Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC), Saksharta Mission and DEO offices. While the complaint box is ready for use at the first, the others will be open to gripes in a day or two.

The district education department is also mulling allotment of docket numbers to avoid confusion while registering complaints.

Elaborating on the systems aimed at increasing competency, DEO Rai said that every shikayat peti would be opened twice a week by none other than himself. “Be it the grievance of a student, teacher, parent or any responsible citizen, we will probe and address the issue raised. We hope to overcome our shortcomings, if any, in this way,” he added.

While students and parents can register grouses on irregular classes, poor midday meal, truant teachers, corporal punishment, et al, teachers can lodge complaints against dearth of funds, run-down school buildings and suggest better nutrition options.

On the docket system, Rai said grievances could also be registered by dialling the numbers of these three offices, in which case designated staff would allot a number to the complainant for future reference. “All complaints will be addressed in a time-bound manner,” Rai promised.

Highlighting his other priorities, the DEO — who had served as the district superintendent of education in 2003-04 before returning on a new mission last year — said the RTE Act provision calling for 25 per cent reservation for BPL students in private schools would be implemented strictly.

“A list of underprivileged children will be sent by the district education department to all private schools to facilitate admission,” he added.