School teachers not to be assigned non-academic duty

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, June 16

The Directorate of Elementary Education has directed all district elementary education officers (DEEOs) not to rope in government school teachers for non-academic duties such as management, training and supervision of any programme outside the school.

The DEEOs have been asked to call back all those teachers, who have been appointed as nodal officers for different projects and are working at the Block Education Office or other offices partially or full time. They have also been directed to submit a report to the Directorate within a week that all such teachers have been sent back to their school concerned.

“The move aims at improving the quality of education and raising the strength of children in government schools. As teachers’ engagement in non-academic works not only adversely affects the studies, but also takes a toll on students’ strength. It also reduces the efficiency of teachers, who could not take classes due to other duties. As per the Right to Education Act-2009, teachers cannot be engaged in non-academic activities,” said an official of the Education Department.

Tarun Suhag, general secretary of the Rajkiya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh, said school teachers were the only government employees, who were engaged in any non-academic activity.

“Teachers are performing the duties from booth-level officers (BLOs) for election-related works to coordinator of ‘Parivar Pehchan Patra’ programmes. They have also been engaged in Covid duties. Teaching is the primary work of teachers, but unfortunately, their services are used in other works. We welcome the directives and urge the Directorate to execute these effectively,” Suhag added.

A communiqué sent to the DEEOs by the Directorate states that disciplinary action would be taken against the DEEO concerned if any teacher was found engaged in non-academic activities outside the school.

Diljeet Singh, DEEO, Jhajjar, said all BEOs had been asked to submit a report on those teachers engaged in non-academic duties in their block concerned and call them back with immediate effect.

Directive issued

• District elementary education officers have been asked to call back all those teachers, who have been appointed as nodal officers for different projects and are working at the Block Education Office or other offices partially or full time
• They have also been directed to submit a report to the Directorate within a week that all such teachers have been sent back to their school concerned

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