60,000 teachers deployed for election work; classes hit

Thousands of government schools across the state are struggling to manage academics because they have been drafted to revise the voters’ list.

According to the Karnataka Primary School Teachers Association, over 60,000 elementary school teachers have been appointed as booth-level officers (BLO), upsetting them.

This will delay the completion of the syllabus, teachers frown. “In our school, we have a student strength of 250 plus, with six teachers. Of them, two are deputed as BLOs. We’re struggling to conduct classes,” the headmaster of a government school in Bengaluru South said.

Teachers explained that 40 per cent of the syllabus remains to be covered as textbooks reached late this year.

“In some schools, there’s only one teacher left and the rest are deputed as BLOs. When this is the situation, how can we address the learning gap created due to Covid-19?” a teacher said.

There are over 46,000 government schools in the state, with 1.56 lakh teachers. Some school development and monitoring committees (SDMCs) have put pressure on block education officers to hire guest teachers in place of those on election work.

Speaking to DH, Karnataka Primary School Teachers Association general secretary Chandrashekhar Nugli urged the government to utilise staff from other departments too.

“There are many other departments whose services can be utilised. Moreover, unemployed graduates can be put to such work,” he suggested.

He said there was no clarity on when the teachers would be relieved from their duties as BLOs.

“It’s been a week since teachers were deputed and there is no information about when their work will be done. We have requested even the Election Commission several times to stop using teachers for such work as it affects academic activities, but to no avail,” Nugli said. Commissioner for Public Instruction Dr Vishal R defended using teachers for election duty. Confirming that he had approved the utilisation of teachers’ services, Vishal said: “It is a time-bound thing and we have to complete it. Teachers have to adjust and do their duty prior to or after school hours.”