The teachers alleged that they are being "forcefully" made to work for "longer hours" by the principals and the Directorate of Education.
The Delhi government's ambitious Mission Buniyaad Campaign might be a boon for the students, but the teachers at government schools complained of being "exploited" during the summer camps being organised under it. The teachers alleged that they are being "forcefully" made to work for "longer hours" by the principals and the Directorate of Education (DoE).
Agitated teachers have also raised their concerns with Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia saying that despite clear guidelines by the DoE-- those who are willing to work during summer break shall only be assigned work-- principals are forcing all teachers to come. "Most of the teachers have their hometowns outside Delhi. They look forward to visiting their homes during these breaks. Despite many of them submitting their leave applications in April, they are deputed to work during the summer break," said Ajay Veer Singh, general secretary, Government Teachers' Association.
Even as the timing of summer camps is 7:30 am to 10:30 am, teachers are being asked to come in at 7 am and leave at 2 pm by the DoE for next day's preparations. "It is really unjustified. We also have to spend time with our children during summer breaks. Neither we have time to take them out during their vacations nor can we look after them during the day. What's the purpose of asking teachers to stay for four hours for the planning that can be done in an hour's time?" asked a female teacher at a Government Boys'Senior Secondary School in West Delhi.
Claiming that teachers are being taken "for granted" by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Singh said that the teachers have been serving during both winter and summer breaks despite falling under the category of Vacation Staff. "We have requested the Education Minister to grant 30 Earned Leaves (EL) to the teachers like the principals. He has assured us that he will look into the matter," he said.
Echoing the sentiment, a teacher at a Government Girls' Senior Secondary School in east Delhi said, "I took extra classes to cover the syllabus during the winter breaks due to the shortage of teachers and now we are attending these summer camps. We literally have no life."
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