1,750 schoolteachers put on non-teaching jobs in Punjab; studies hit

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, May 8

Deputing over 1,750 government schoolteachers as district and block-level mentors, project coordinators and assistant project coordinators is affecting studies of thousands of students. In a letter to the Education Minister, the State Government School Teachers’ Union demanded to end this practice of deputing teachers on non-teaching jobs.

The union wrote that 1,757 teachers from high, elementary and primary government schools were performing non-teaching duties for the past two years.

Under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), 1,255 teachers were assigned the duty of district and block mentors. Out of these, 115 taught science, math, social studies, English, Punjabi and computer subjects, the union stated. They were deputed as district mentors (five each in 23 districts). As many as 1,140 teachers were assigned the job of block mentors (five each in 228 educational blocks). Other than mentors, 502 primary schoolteachers were working as district and block level and assistant coordinators under the “Parho Punjab” project.

“We have written to the Education Minister to end this practice,” said Surinder Kumar Puari, chief, State Government School Teachers’ Union. Meanwhile, Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer did not respond despite repeated attempts.