VIJAYAWADA: In a move aimed at improving the quality of education in government schools, the State government has instructed that principals, headmasters, and teachers not be assigned non-academic duties. The directive, issued by School Education Secretary Kona Sasidhar, was welcomed by the teaching community, who have long raised concerns over the diversion of their time for unrelated tasks.
The order, released on Monday, pointed out that officials from other departments were frequently involving school staff in data entry and administrative tasks not related to education. This, officials said, was disrupting the academic schedule in junior colleges, KGBVs, model schools, APREIS institutions, ZPHS, MPUPS, MPPS, and municipal schools.
Now, teachers may only be assigned non-academic responsibilities with the prior approval of the concerned head of department in School Education. The directive has been sent to the Commissioner of School Education, Commissioner of Intermediate Education, State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha, and all district collectors for strict implementation.
Teachers across Andhra Pradesh welcomed the move, saying it would allow them to focus fully on student learning and academic progress. Educationists also termed the decision a crucial step towards enhancing learning outcomes.
Speaking to TNIE, S Rama Krishna, state president of the Municipal Teachers Federation, said, “For years, teachers were forced to take up unrelated duties under pressure from officials and lawmakers. This decision safeguards instructional time and is a big boost to public education. We thank the government.”