Vijayawada: Edu dept collects details of teachers ahead of polls

Vijayawada: With state Assembly and Lok Sabha elections due next year, the state education department is collecting details of teachers working in the government, zilla parishad, AP Model schools, municipal corporation and municipal schools in the state. YSR district mandal education officers received instructions from district educational officer to prepare list of teachers working in primary schools and the high schools in the district.

Consequently, YSR district MEOs are going to collect details of headmasters, school assistants, secondary grade teachers, PGTs and language pundits and submit them to DEOs and the district collectors by November 25.

If the details of any teacher are not enlisted in the list of employees or wrong medical and other remarks are entered in the list, the MEOs and DEOs will be held responsible for the lapses and appropriate disciplinary action will be initiated against them as per the rules, according to an order issued by the education department. District educational officers in other districts are also expected to receive such order copies soon.

It may be noted that the state government amended the AP Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2010, known as Right to Education Act, to keep teachers away from the duties other than the academics in December 2022. Teachers will not be assigned any non-teaching work, including election and census duties unless there is a shortage of staff from other departments, as per the amendment made by the state government.

When contacted, Municipal Teachers Federation (MTF) state president S Ramakrishna told the Hans India that the decision of the Election Commission is final in the state or country regarding the drafting of government staff for the election duty.

“All government employees will come under the purview of the Election Commission once notification is issued to hold the elections. The poll panel has the choice to appoint the government staff for the election duty. Experienced government employees are required for the elections,” he said.