No poll or other duties for Andhra Pradesh teachers, focus only on academics

Government teachers in Andhra Pradesh, from now on, will have nothing to do except perform their core task – of teaching children.

The state government has amended the AP Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010, prohibiting deployment of teachers for “non-educational purposes”.

The amendments to the RTE Act Rules will effectively keep teachers away from election duties, Census work and the like. The School Education Department has already cancelled the deputation of several teachers as personal assistants to ministers and legislators and re-engaged them in teaching activity.

“Section 27 of the Right to Education Act, 2009, envisaged prohibition of deployment of teachers for non-educational purposes. In accordance with it, and also to further strengthen the RTE Act, we have made the necessary amendments,” School Education Commissioner S Suresh Kumar said.

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The changes were intended to let teachers focus on their core academic activities and improve the academic advancement of children. The Commissioner pointed out that various teachers’ unions had represented to government that services of teachers be utilised only for academic work to improve learning outcomes.

According to the Annual Survey of Education Report, only 22.4 per cent children in Class 3 could read the Class 2 text and only 38.4 per cent could do (mathematical) subtraction. In Class 5, only 39.3 per cent students could divide a (mathematical) sum while the percentage in Class 8 was only 47.60.

Suresh Kumar also pointed out that the Andhra Pradesh Student Learning Achievement Survey revealed “poor reading and comprehension skills” among students. The National Achievement Survey, 2021, undertaken by the Union Ministry of Education, also established that the average performance of Class X students was 39 per cent in languages, 32 per cent in mathematics and 49 per cent in English.

“Teachers are required to focus on their core activity and dedicate their time solely to improve the learning outcomes. Only that will ensure academic transformation, for which the state government has been implementing various reformative schemes,” Suresh Kumar observed.

The Commissioner pointed out that government schools in the state have been reorganised from Class 3 and qualified subject teachers have been provided in line with the National Education Policy.

“We are also refurbishing the school infrastructure in a big way under the Mana Badi: Nadu-Nedu (Our School: Then and Now) programme at a total estimated cost of Rs 16,021 crore. Simultaneously, we are also transforming the classrooms to digital to enhance the learning experience of students,” Suresh said.

Coupled with the reform initiatives, effective implementation of the RTE Act, 2009, was the key to usher in transformative changes and improved learning outcomes. Hence the prohibition of non-teaching activities by teachers, Suresh added.