(COVID) Teachers may soon be asked to remain off duty

QUOTE: “Despite schools and colleges being closed and academic activity suspended, it is absurd on the part of the administration to call teachers to perform duties…. Measures being taken to check Covid are far from sufficient.”

– Harsh Dev Singh, chairman, JKNPP

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 18

Political parties are now mounting pressure on the authorities to keep the teaching staff in schools, colleges and universities of J&K off duty till March 31.

The teachers’ association too has asked the authorities to close all educational institutions completely and allow them to remain off duty in view of the prevailing situation.

On March 11, the UT Administration had suspended classes in schools, colleges and universities of J&K till March 31 to curb the spread of Covid.

“Despite schools and colleges being closed and academic activity suspended, it is absurd on the part of the administration to call the teachers to perform their duties,” said Harsh Dev Singh, chairman, J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP).

He said schools were shut as a precautionary measure to check the proliferation of Covid. “It is, however, strange that the teachers were directed to report at the closed institutions. What objective is being fulfilled by the regular attendance of the teachers when the health authorities are repeatedly issuing advisories to avoid any kind of public gathering? Doesn’t such a decision expose the teachers to risk of virus? And are they not being made susceptible to the deadly pandemic?” he asked.

“Measures being taken to check the killer epidemic are far from sufficient. And this is evident from the ever-increasing number of suspected and infected cases,” Harsh Dev said.