The School Education Department Friday imposed a complete ban on government school teachers from taking classes at private coaching institutes.
The move comes in the wake of the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act-2009 in J&K.
The RTE Act 2009 became applicable in J&K in October 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution by the Government of India.
In a circular issued by the Chief Education Officer (CEO) Srinagar, the government school teachers, as per the directions conveyed by the Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) have been barred from engaging in private tuition or private teaching activity.
“Failing this, action as warranted under the rules will be initiated against the erring teaching personnel,” the circular reads.
The department has issued strict instructions to the heads of private coaching centres not to allow any government school teacher as their teaching faculty at the coaching centres.
“The registration of coaching centre will be withdrawn or suspended with immediate effect and disciplinary action under the provisions of law will be initiated against the management if any tuition centre hires government teacher as their faculty at the institute,” the circular reads.
As per the circular, The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009 vide Chapter IV Clause 28 prohibits all teachers from engaging themselves in private tuition or private teaching activity.
“No teacher shall engage himself or herself in private tuition or private teaching activity,” the contents of the RTE Act read.
The CEO Srinagar in the circular has instructed all the drawing and disbursing officers to submit the certificates to the office certifying that none of the teaching faculty under their control is involved in private tuition or private teaching activity.
“The DDOs are advised to seek a similar undertaking from the concerned teaching faculty,” the circular reads.
Meanwhile, the DSEK confirmed to the Greater Kashmir that all the government teachers have been barred from taking classes in private tuition centres or coaching institutes as per the provisions of the RTE Act-2009.
“The CEOs in other districts have also issued instructions regarding this. We received complaints from some districts and the instructions were issued to the teachers that they can’t take classes in private tuition centres,” the DSEK said.
As already reported by Greater Kashmir, the then government in 2015 imposed blanket ban on government school teachers for coaching classes at private institutes but the order was revoked after it was challenged by the teachers in the High Court.
However, with the implementation of RTE Act 2009 in J&K from 2019, the government school teachers are barred from this practice.