E-Paper
Prayagraj: Teachers cry foul over DIOS order making virtual teaching mandatory
Teachers of government-aided high schools and intermediate colleges of Prayagraj affiliated to UP Board are up in arms against a recent order issued by District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) warning of disciplinary action and adverse entry in service record of teachers who fails to form WhatsApp groups and virtually teach students during the lockdown.
Teachers of government-aided high schools and intermediate colleges of Prayagraj affiliated to UP Board are up in arms against a recent order issued by District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) warning of disciplinary action and adverse entry in service record of teachers who fails to form WhatsApp groups and virtually teach students during the lockdown.
The teachers have threatened to move court against the order if it is not withdrawn.
The DIOS-Prayagraj RN Vishwakarma, in a order dated April 21, had ordered teachers to connect all their students to a specially formed WhatsApp group and start teaching them through the medium from April 20. He had also conveyed that henceforth senior education department officials would also join these WhatApp and social media groups and monitor the teaching process.
“Teachers who do not have smartphones can still guide and teach students through the regular mobile phones that they have. They can even motivate students to undertake self study and help them with support of their teaching colleagues who have smartphones. Online or virtual teaching of students is not optional for teachers but mandatory during the lockdown,” said Vishwakarma.
All teachers were instructed to strictly adhere to their virtual teaching schedules.
The order has irked the teachers who point out that it mistrusts them and also threatens them of adverse entry in their service record for failing to take interest in their work and duties while also talks of disciplinary action through the managers and management of their respective institutions.
“The order is completely inappropriate and unjust. Many of our colleagues, especially the older ones do not have smart mobile phones and are not very comfortable on WhatsApp and social media etc. Moreover, we have a definite service rules that govern us and there is no provision that bounds us to teach virtually in it. If the order is not withdrawn, we may even move court against it,” said a senior teacher of a government-aided school in Prayagraj unhappy with the DIOS order.
“Majority of teachers are themselves voluntarily taking virtual or online classes and such a threatening order is unacceptable. I urge officials not to intimidate the teachers or we will be forced to kick-start a demonstration to protest such attitude once the lockdown gets over,” said Suresh Kumar Tripathi, Teacher MLC (Allahabad-Jhansi)
“Officials of state education department are on one hand sending misleading reports to the state government to earn a pat on their backs while on the other they are sending letters to school principals and college managements and threatening action against the teachers. All teachers are trying their best to help students in these trying times and if still any action is initiated against teachers, it would be strongly opposed and if needed we will also move court,” said Lalmani Dwivedi, state general secretary, UP Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh (Thakurai faction)
