Teachers made to sit on floor during review meetings in UP
Sources said as there weren’t enough chairs, the teachers — including women, elderly and a President awardee — were made to sit on the floor.
Government school teachers in Barabanki were made to sit on the floor during a review meeting at Dariyabad block resource centre (BRC) on Wednesday.
Sources said as there weren’t enough chairs, the teachers — including women, elderly and a President awardee — were made to sit on the floor while government officials, like the block education officer and his team, sat on chairs on a raised platform.
“It is humiliating. Teachers are said to be the most respected lot. But this is how they are treated,” said Ashutosh Anand Awasthi, the President awardee and in-charge of upper primary school at Miyanganj in Barabanki.
Manmohan Singh, who recently joined as block education officer, said, “This is my first meeting and I am not aware about the arrangements. When I asked about chairs, I was told that since there isn’t adequate number of chairs, teachers are made to sit on the floor every time.”
As many as 60-70 teachers were squeezed inside one room and there are no arrangements of water or refreshment, alleged some teachers who attended the meeting.
“Those who are targeted by the officials are required to stand up and then the grilling is done. This is embarrassing. It appears as if the officials are addressing some illiterate working class,” a teacher said requesting anonymity.
Sources said this was the practice in the past too and many a time teachers were asked to get their own chairs for the meeting.
These review meetings are presided over by block education officers and basic shiksha adhikari (BSA). “There is a budget allocation for such meetings but no arrangements are made,” a teacher said.