Assam: SASSM against engaging teachers in activities that do not fall on the academic calendar

 Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Sadou Asom Sanmilita Sikshak Mancha (SASSM) has appealed to state Education Minister Ranuj Pegu not to engage teachers in any activities that do not come under the academic calendar of schools.

The SASSM is an umbrella organization of teachers' bodies from the elementary to higher secondary schools in the state.

In its letter submitted to the minister, the SASSM said, "We have been implementing the academic calendars prepared and published by the SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training), SEBA (Board of Secondary Education, Assam), and the AHSEC (Assam Higher Secondary Education Council) sincerely by involving all stakeholders-students, guardians, and the local populace. We have long been demanding the government not engage teachers in any activities that do not fall under academic calendars. We do feel that while implementing the co-curricular activities, the number of teaching days has been declining drastically. If this trend continues, the situation may get even worse."

The letter said, "According to the Right to Education (RTE) Act, guardians can hold teachers accountable in the event of poor results by students. However, due to directives being issued by the government to engage teachers in non-curricular activities, teachers cannot complete the lessons in time. The drastic fall in the number of teaching days due to directives issued by the government to do various activities that do not fall under the purview of academic activities in the last academic year is still fresh among the teachers and students. The directive to the schools to observe the Jal Poshek (water fortnight), which is outside the purview of the academic calendars, has worried the teachers and their students as well. Taking that into account, we remind the Education Minister and his department not to issue any directive to school authorities to observe anything that does not come under the academic calendar."

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