‘Don’t assign non-teaching works to school teachers’

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 16

The Education Department has asked heads of government schools in the state to not to engage teachers in handling of dak (official correspondence). Notably, for long, teachers in the absence of clerical staff get busy in non-teaching works too which ultimately affects the teaching.

Now, in a communiqué to the school heads, the department has stated that it has come to the notice that even in schools, where clerical staff is available, the work of clearance of post is being handled by either computer teachers or other teachers.

“Earlier also, it was instructed that the such works should be handled by the clerks and if there are no clerks in schools, then the work should be done by non-teaching staff,” the circular states.

In the letter, the school heads had been given instructions that the issue must be resolved at the school level as the teachers should only be teaching and should not be involved in other works.

Notably, the shortage of the non-teaching staff in schools of the district is forcing the teachers to do other works.

The teachers usually complain that besides teaching, they have to do a number of works, including fee related works, office works, poll duties, mid-day meal, scholarships/stipend, uniforms, opening of accounts of students and salary and provident fund of staff.

The teachers said in the absence of the non-teaching staff, teachers, who are short in numbers, somehow do all sundry works. Speaking about the problems, a teacher from a government school said, “In absence of any Class IV staff here, I am supposed to go to treasury office. We are left with no choice. Sometimes, we have to complete given tasks even during teaching hours. And then they expect us to give good results,” he said.

Another teacher from a government school in a rural area said such instructions come but it was important that these should be implemented.

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