The differences between regular, guest and contractual teachers are not only affecting the administrative functioning of the Delhi Government schools, but also putting adverse impact on academic values.
School authorities of various Government schools have said sharing workload and academic responsibilities becomes a matter of debate in school sometimes.
During the announcement of Delhi Budget, Finance and Education Minister Manish Sisodia said his Government has a three-fold approach towards education first, providing adequate facilities and infrastructure in Government schools; second, ensuring an adequate number of capable and dynamic teachers; and third, improving curriculum and teaching practices.
He also announced that the appointment of 5,500 teachers are under process while in financial year 2016-17, 9,623 new teachers’ posts will be sanctioned and teachers will be sent to international universities like Oxford and Havard for training and learning.
However, the ground reality is very different at the moment. While some teachers complained that guest and contractual teachers are being harassed by regular teaching staff, they said the AAP Government should first focus on the basic needs of teachers and give them equal privileges like regular staffs.
Higher authority of Delhi Government school, New Friends Colony (NFC) said work load is more on guest and contractual teachers but they do not have the provision of taking single casual leave in a month like permanent teachers.
Teachers who work under Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan (SSA) education schemes in the Delhi Government schools said in a 45-minute lecture, 20 minutes are spent in preparing the student’s record. “We constantly face job threat as we can be given bad assessments if we ask for leave even though we work equally or sometimes, more than regular teachers,” said a contractual teacher.
“We work under pressure and constant threat. Sometimes we have to do more than teaching. We go to students’ homes to invite them for writing exams and sometimes they threat us too for not giving them more marks and attendance than they deserve,” the teacher added.
On the contrary, regular teachers said guest teachers never come in front to share the responsibilities. Principal of a Government school near Badarpur said permanent teachers work beyond timing and they equally involve with the students in extracurricular activities.
“There are many activities held in schools besides classroom learning in which teacher has to equally participate but guest or contractual teachers work on their timings only and they do not share the extra liabilities which are necessary for a teacher,” said the principal.
However, situation in South Delhi district schools were different. According to principal V K Pathak, principal of Boys’ Senior Secondary School, the difference between private and Government schools will be negligible in coming days.
“The selection criteria are difficult in Government schools because we want to hire the best teachers. The AAP Government has taken some steps in positive direction and we have observed many positive changes be it in school infrastructure or teacher’s wellness,” said Pathak.
However, there is no provision for hiring teachers for special education in Delhi’s education Budget. Schools have no teachers to educate differently-abled students. According to a source, Delhi Government school on Malcha road has no teacher for special education, however, school enrolled such students. “Teachers who have done B Ed on Special education should be deployed in schools because it is difficult to understand the psychology of special children for a normal teacher,” said the source.
“In our school there are special students which need special attention. However, the teacher who is appointed for these students is working in the Education Department of the Delhi Government,” source said.
