Teaching a ‘casualty’ in Kashmir schools as non-teaching activities take precedence

Srinagar, Sep 7: The academics have been badly hit in Educational Institutions across Kashmir as the authorities are engaging teachers in non-teaching activities on a daily basis, teachers and students said on Wednesday.
Following the daily engagement of the teachers in different surveys and other non-teaching activities, academics has become a casualty in schools which is likely to prove detrimental for the students.
“We fail to understand how we can do justice with the students when teachers will remain busy in different surveys and activities which deprive students from getting quality education,” said a teacher wishing not to be named.
Notably, the schedule of different engagements for teachers is being framed at a time when the government has declared 2022 as the year of academic transformation. But, the policy decisions being implemented on ground are going opposite to the government decisions.
“Every day we come prepared with different lesson plans to teach students but every day we are engaged in different activities which defeats the purpose of us being posted in schools. Students are deprived of basic rights in schools,” said another teacher wishing anonymity.
The teachers questioned how the goal of academic transformation would be achieved if teachers are engaged in non teaching assignments on a daily basis..
“The schedule of activities is framed at the cost of the academics of the students. Such orders and circulars will deviate teachers from academics and will ultimately prove costly for the students as well,” said a senior lecturer who wished not to be named.
Notably, the department from the last few months has cancelled all the attachments of teachers and ordered that the teachers deployed in different offices or sections will join their original place of postings.
The attachments and deployments were cancelled to provide adequate teaching staff in schools and impart quality education to students.
“But it seems that the department does not have a clear policy as they keep on changing their policies. On one day meetings are held and directions are passed to focus on academics and learning outcomes of students but next day the teachers are engaged in different surveys or activities which keeps them away from schools,” the lecturer said.
A top official, while acknowledging that academics was the priority, said the issue will be discussed at the department level.
“The department has a clear policy that the student and his academics is a top priority for us. There will be no compromise on that. We will see why and how the teachers are engaged in different activities than academics,” the official said.