Students suffer as teacher perform poll revision duty
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Mir Tariq Bandipora, July 22: The district administration’s decision to involve teachers in the poll revision duty is affecting the studies of thousands of students as the schools are facing shortage of teachers in this newly created district. Hundreds of government schools in Bandipora district are facing shortage of teachers. “The teachers have been assigned the duty to revise the electoral rolls and as such they are unable to visit the schools,” said a teacher of a government school. He said that the studies of students have suffered a lot in absence of teachers.
“The schools already confront shortage of teachers and by involving the teachers in the poll revision process, the authorities have aggravated the problem and put the career of students at stake,” he added.Sources said that the election department has involved hundreds of teachers of the district for the revision of the electoral rolls. They said that at least 80 per cent of the total poll duty staff comprises teachers only. Some of the teachers, who have been assigned the duty to monitor the poll revision process, told Rising Kashmir, “We have been asked by DC Bandipora and higher authorities of the education department to be part of the process. It is impossible for us to do two works at the same time. The revision of electoral rolls is a lengthy process and is taking its toll on us. We are unable to concentrate on our profession due to which students are suffering”.The schools with just one or two teachers are the worst hit. “Scores of schools have been rendered totally functionless as the lone teacher in the institutes too has been involved in the poll revision process,” source said."We are facing lot of problems as our teachers remain busy in the revision of poll materials. Our studies have been badly affected," said Muhammad Amin, class 8th student. A 10th class student, Shahida said, “We were close to finishing the syllabus but unfortunately our teachers have been deputed to some other work by the government. The exams are nearing and we have still not completed the main portion of the syllabus”.Shahida urged the district administration to relieve their teachers from the poll revision duty so that they can teach them and finish the syllabus. “They should be allowed to finish our syllabus so that we can prepare for the examination,” she added.Parents complain that due to non availability of teachers in the schools, their wards are not spending much time in the institutes. “Exam time is near and the authorities should not disturb teachers and let them complete the syllabus of the students. For us the education of our wards is more important than the poll revision process,” said a group of parents.Sources said that shortage of teachers in government schools have been brought to the notice of Deputy Commissioner, Bandipora and officials of education department. When contacted Chief Education Officer Bandipora Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Ahanger said, "The revision of electoral rolls being performed by teachers is a part-time job. They can do it after finishing the school work"He added, “"If there is shortage of teachers in schools, alternative arrangement will be made to ensure that the studies of students is not hit”.