Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Tuesday rejected allegations made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that teachers from government schools were being deployed for stray dog-related duties, stating that no such notification had been issued by the Delhi government.
The clarification came after AAP leaders accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration in Delhi of diverting teachers from their academic responsibilities and assigning them non-educational tasks, including work related to stray dog management.
The opposition party claimed that such practices were adversely affecting the functioning of government schools and the quality of education.
Responding to the allegations, Sood said the claims were misleading.
“The government has not issued any official order directing school teachers to perform duties related to stray dogs. Teachers continue to be engaged strictly in academic and school-related work as per established norms. AAP is, as usual, misleading,” Sood said.
According to officials in the education department, teachers may occasionally be required to coordinate with local authorities on issues affecting school premises or student safety, but this does not amount to being formally assigned duties outside the education framework. The department also stressed that any additional responsibilities, if required, are routed through proper administrative channels and are limited in scope.
AAP leaders, however, reiterated their demand for clarity from the government, seeking written assurances that teachers would not be assigned tasks unrelated to education. They also urged the administration to focus on strengthening school infrastructure, filling vacant teaching posts, and improving learning outcomes.