Mumbai: The state has issued a govt resolution outlining the mandatory non-academic work for teachers , despite their complaints and protests about the impact on the quality of education provided to students. According to the circular, teachers are required to carry out work related to the decennial census , election work for local, state, and central govts, and disaster relief work, as per Section 27 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act. However, the circular also stated that govt surveys from other departments, cleanliness drives, and participation in non-educational NGO activities in collaboration with the govt cannot be made mandatory for teachers.
Recently, BMC had directed over 2,000 teachers from civic and aided schools to report for poll work for the upcoming assembly elections, which led to protests from a section of teachers who claimed it was affecting their teaching days. Teachers are required to put in 200 days for primary (class 1-5) and 220 days for upper primary (class 6-8) in a year. However, they have been complaining about not being able to meet the mandatory teaching days due to non-academic work.
In addition to election-related work, teachers were also recently involved in the state's ‘Ladki Bahin' women welfare scheme and the Maratha survey in Jan. According to the circular, other departments will not be able to force teachers to do work. However, teachers have said that non-academic work assigned by the education department an.