: Even as a large section of teaching workforce remains engaged in election-related and other government assignments, the electoral registration officer (ERO)-Gill-cum-regional transport officer (RTO) has sought fresh details of teaching staff who have not yet been allotted any departmental or non-departmental duties.
In a letter issued on June 3 to the district education officers (secondary and elementary), the ERO directed officials to furnish details of such employees through a Google link shared with the department. The information was sought in a prescribed format and was required to be submitted on the same day.
The communication further stated that if any school head failed to upload the required information through the Google link, he or she would have to submit the details personally to the concerned office.
Rupinder Singh Gill, general secretary of the Democratic Teachers Front, claimed that nearly 90 to 95 per cent of the teaching staff is already engaged in election, census and other government duties. He alleged that the latest exercise appears aimed at identifying the remaining teachers for deployment in additional non-academic work.
“Regular studies are already suffering because of the continuous engagement of teachers in duties unrelated to education. If the remaining staff is also assigned such work, the burden on schools will increase further,” Gill said. He argued that since teachers are compensated for these duties, the government should consider engaging unemployed individuals or the ones from the private sector for certain assignments instead of repeatedly drawing teachers away from classrooms.
{{/usCountry}}“Regular studies are already suffering because of the continuous engagement of teachers in duties unrelated to education. If the remaining staff is also assigned such work, the burden on schools will increase further,” Gill said. He argued that since teachers are compensated for these duties, the government should consider engaging unemployed individuals or the ones from the private sector for certain assignments instead of repeatedly drawing teachers away from classrooms.
{{/usCountry}}A school head, requesting anonymity, echoed similar concerns. “Very few teachers are left in schools to handle academic responsibilities. In the absence of adequate staff, it becomes increasingly difficult to run the school efficiently and ensure proper learning outcomes for students,” the principal said.
When contacted, RTO Mankanwal Chahal said the information was being collected to assess how many teachers were still available for election duties whenever required. “Teachers are government employees, and election duty is a part of their official responsibilities. They are also compensated for such assignments. The purpose of the exercise is simply to maintain updated records of available staff,” he said.