Himachal: Education Secretary takes feedback from principals and head teachers on cluster complex system

Himachal Pradesh: Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar took feedback on the newly introduced Cluster Complex System from 917 principals, headmasters, Block Elementary Education Officers (BEEOs), and center head teachers from Kangra district during a district-level conference in Dharamshala on Saturday. Kangra is the third district to hold such a large consultation, after Shimla and Chamba. The discussion, held in the auditorium of Government College, Dharamshala, aimed to understand the challenges faced by school heads and gather suggestions as the state implements major changes to its education administration. Under the new system, a senior secondary school principal will supervise all primary, middle, and high schools within a cluster to ensure better coordination, academic monitoring, and improved learning outcomes.
Kanwar listened attentively to the school heads, who expressed their concerns, sought clarifications, and offered suggestions during a question-and-answer session. Babita Pathania, head of the government school in Sehwan, Rait block, was among those who directly interacted with the Education Secretary. They highlighted the delay in payments from the Amalgamated Fund. The Education Secretary acknowledged the issue and issued instructions to resolve it immediately. In April 2025, the Directorate of Education was reorganized, combining the Directorate of Elementary Education (pre-nursery to Class VIII) and the Directorate of Higher Education (Class IX to college level) into a single organization. This move was intended to simplify administration and remove long-standing responsibilities.
To facilitate smooth implementation, the department issued detailed guidelines in September 2025 outlining the roles of principals, BEEOs, and center head teachers in the cluster system. The ongoing district-level meetings are part of the department’s efforts to communicate these changes directly to field officials. Speaking to The Tribune during the conference, Education Director Ashish Kohli said, “Senior secondary school principals have been put in charge of all primary, middle, and high schools under their cluster. The primary objective of this initiative is to improve learning outcomes and ensure a smooth transition for students, especially those in classes V to VI. We are visiting every district to ensure its successful implementation at the ground level.”