Principals grapple with classes as 50% teachers out on survey duty

Mumbai: With almost 50% of teachers from government and government-aided schools assigned to conduct surveys for the Maratha reservation, principals grappled with managing classes on Tuesday.

The state government has deployed over 3.5 lakh people, including over 1 lakh teachers, for the enumeration to establish the ‘backwardness’ of the Maratha community to clear the path for granting reservation. The time given by the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes (MSCBC) is nine days, till January 31.

“I have eight classes and eight teachers for the aided division of our school, but four were deployed for the survey,” a principal from a Goregaon-based school said. “On Tuesday, we merged two divisions and ran the school.” While pointing out the survey’s importance, the principal said the government must grant additional time.

To conduct the survey effectively, teachers must allocate 60 to 80 minutes per household, aiming to complete 120 to 140 houses by January 31.

Another school principal from Ghatkopar said that he called parent members from the parent-teacher association (PTA) to manage classes. “Parents are supportive and are willing to come to school on rotation,” he said

But the challenge does not stop there for the school principal. “The challenge is how to conduct practices for the Republic Day parade in our school as our physical education teacher who initiated this parade is on survey duty.”

Before starting the survey on Tuesday, these teachers were busy with various training regarding the New Education Policy (NEP) conducted on January 21 and 22.

The principal of a school from the M-east ward pointed out the academic concern with the authorities. “Authorities are saying to suspend those who oppose participating in conducting the survey,” said the principal.

Teachers have also expressed displeasure as their teaching work has fallen behind schedule. Tanaji Kamble, Mumbai president of Maharashtra Progressive Teachers Association alleged that there is continuous pressure on the teachers to leave important teaching work and undertake non-teaching work.

“In the last two months, all teachers have been busy with various activities like comprehensive evaluation by the education authority. Ward, district, division, and state level science fair activities are underway in schools, work on adult education survey is also going on,” Kamble said.

Shivnath Darade, conveyor of the Maharashtra State Teachers’ Council, demanded that teachers should not be forced to participate in conducting the survey. “The government must think of an alternative for teachers to undertake the survey,” Darade said. “Considering it is examination period, they must excuse at least some teachers from this survey.”