Teachers assigned on Covid duty in Bengaluru. (Photo | Nagaraja Gadekal, EPS) 
Bengaluru

Education Dept asks govt to relieve teachers from Covid duty

In order to start the academic activities for the year 2021-22 from July 1, preparatory guidelines have already been framed for teachers and head teachers.

Pearl Maria D'souza

BENGALURU: With the new academic year approaching, the education department is trying to pull out hundreds of teachers from Covid duties. Chandrashekhar Nugli, Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association, told The New Indian Express that almost 20,000 teachers in Bengaluru and 10,000 teachers from outside the city are doing Covid duty.The commissioner of public instruction wrote to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner, asking him to relieve all the teachers, head teachers and non-teaching staff from primary and high schools.

In order to start the academic activities for the year 2021-22 from July 1, preparatory guidelines have already been framed for teachers and head teachers. Although physical classes may not be held in the academic year, in light of the students’ academic rights, and directions of the High Court, teachers and head teachers are meant to work towards providing offline/online teaching, alternative methods such as classes delivered through Doordarshan, mobile, smartphones and laptops. Commissioner of Public Instruction, Anbu Kumar, said that guidelines have already been issued in this regard. 

Besides, the SSLC examination for the 2020-21 academic year is scheduled to be held in the third week of July, and with more examination centres this year, the service of teachers and head teachers and non-teaching staff is vital. The CPI also wrote a similar letter to the deputy commissioners of all districts. Karnataka State Primary School Teachers’ Association welcomed the education department’s move.

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