Stop govt teachers’ non-educational duties: Bains to chief secy

Bains said diverting teachers from classrooms for routine tasks is a ‘grave injustice’ and undermines the right to education. He added that teachers are not general-purpose government staff, but the ‘torchbearers of knowledge’ responsible for shaping Punjab’s future.

Punjab school education minister Harjot Singh Bains directed the chief secretary to immediately stop assigning government school teachers to non-teaching and administrative duties.

Punjab school education minister Harjot Singh Bains directed the chief secretary to immediately stop assigning government school teachers to non-teaching and administrative duties. (HT File)

Bains said diverting teachers from classrooms for routine tasks is a ‘grave injustice’ and undermines the right to education. He added that teachers are not general-purpose government staff, but the ‘torchbearers of knowledge’ responsible for shaping Punjab’s future.

Citing Section 27 of the Right to Education Act, 2009, Bains reminded officials that teachers can only be deployed for non-educational tasks under specific exceptions, such as census, disaster relief, or election duties. Even in rare and unavoidable cases, prior approval must be sought from the school education department.

Bains has asked the chief secretary to issue strict instructions to all administrative departments and district authorities to ensure compliance.