The Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has stated that the teachers need not to report to their schools to deliver online classes but can participate in it at their residential areas.
The statement comes days after teachers were reporting to their schools to deliver community classes amid the closure of educational institutions for offline class work.
“Teachers should understand that they have to deliver community classes in their own villages. They need not to report to their schools for this,” DSEK Tasaduq Hussain Mir told Greater Kashmir.
He said the teachers should get their names registered with the heads of the high schools, principal Higher Secondary Schools or ZEOs for delivering community classes for students who do not have access to internet facilities or smart phones.
“Teachers should not get confused with the initiative of community classes. These classes are to be conducted for the school children in their community,” Mir said.
Notably, the school education department has approved establishment of community schools in far off areas to reach out to the students amid the ongoing pandemic situation. This is in addition to the ongoing online classes delivered by the teachers.
Meanwhile, a group of aggrieved teachers from Kupwara district posted in Karnah and Machill area complained that they were forced by the district education authorities and zonal education authorities to report to their schools to deliver online classes.
“On one hand director education says that teachers do not have to report to their schools for community classes but on the ground we are forced to report to our schools in Karnah to deliver community classes for students of our schools,” an aggrieved teacher said.
He said they have already completed their two years tenure in the hard zone but are still waiting for their transfer to other zones as per the policy.
“Instead of shifting back to normal zones, we are forced to report to far off areas for community classes. Department should issue instructions to the district and zonal authorities regarding the matter,” the teacher said.
DSEK, Tasaduq Hussain Mir meanwhile said the matter will be taken up with CEO Kupwara. “I will make him understand that teachers do not need to visit their place of posting to deliver community classes,” he said.
About continuing online classes by teachers who participate in community classes DSEK said, “If a teacher remains busy with community classes during the first half of a day, he or she can and should deliver one online class through LMS during the other half of the day. We have not stopped online classes,” he said.