Schools may be shut and examinations postponed, but teachers still have to report to work. In fact, the Department of Public Instruction has issued a timetable for teachers of primary and high schools, both government and aided, which they have to follow till March 31. It is applicable to all teachers who are not posted for SSLC examination duty and has been criticised.
On the one hand, the State government has asked people to practise social distancing, but on the other, the DPI has asked teachers to conduct a meeting with the School Development Monitoring Committee and finalise an education plan for schools. Some of the other tasks they have been asked to complete over the next two weeks include formulating a three-year plan for the school based on the assessment of resources, and finalising the academic plan for the 2020-21 academic year.
They have also been asked to come up with teaching solutions for students after analysing learning outcomes of students, set a question paper before the bridge course for students begins, frame content for road safety and civic lessons, and sort out books for the library as well the sports items. “Apart from this, we have to prepare teaching aids and take up initiatives to beautify the school, come up with a waste management plan, and so on,” said one teacher.
It doesn’t end there. A circular listing the assignments, which was issued on Tuesday, notes that teachers should brainstorm on activities for two Saturdays in a month that are bagless days.
Manjunath H.K., president of the Karnataka State High School Assistant Masters' Association said, “Is the health of the teachers not important? Many of our teachers travel nearly 30 kilometres to reach school. They also use public transport. When the government has asked people to stay at home and stay safe, it should apply to our teachers as well,” he said.
Another primary school teacher said most of the planning could be done from the comfort of their homes as well. “These are things we always plan and do not need officials to chalk out a timetable for us,” she said. Department officials however said that the timetable has been planned after much deliberation.
