Teachers resent order to report to schools during vacations

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 26

After repeated pleas made to the Education Department to allow teachers to work from home, teachers have said they are being asked by the officials in the department to report to schools even during summer vacation.

The Education Department has announced month-long summer vacation from May 24 to June 23.

Teachers said they were called on duty even when the schools were shut during the second wave of Covid and were now being asked to come during the break as well. Many teachers had tested positive for the virus and some had even lost their life to the virus, they added.

“There are no official orders issued asking teachers to report to duty during the summer vacation. Only verbal instructions are being forwarded to teachers to report in their respective schools for various duties,” a teacher said.

Democratic Teachers’ Front state president Digvijay Pal Sharma and secretary Sarwan Singh Aujla said it was an uncalled for move. The teachers said if they were to be called, official letters should be issued for that.

“We are called to schools and asked to persuade parents to enrol their wards in government schools. This exercise has already claimed lives of many teachers during the door-to-door campaign and meeting with parents. When the government has declared summer vacation, then why are we being called on verbal unofficial orders?” a teacher of a middle school in Haibowal said.

Another teacher said even online meetings during the break were unjustified. “We have done exceptional work in the recent past to strengthen enrolment in schools. These holidays are for us too. We, too, need a break from our hectic school routine. We are not ready to report during the holidays. This autocratic approach will not be tolerated,” the teacher added.