The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) opposed the district administration’s decision to assign 607 schoolteachers to the Drug and Socio-Economic Census, alleging the deployment was being made compulsory despite official instructions stating otherwise.
The protest comes in view of an order issued on July 3 by the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC Urban Development). The order directed the District Education Officer (Secondary) to nominate teachers for the survey. According to the order, the teachers have to attend a training-cum-orientation meeting on July 6 at the ADC office. They have to bring their mobile phones, Aadhaar cards and bank account details.
The survey is to be conducted with the assistance of teachers and booth level officers (BLOs).
Addressing a press conference, DTF district president Ramanjit Singh Sandhu and general secretary Rupinder Pal Singh Gill said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had come to power promising to free teachers from non-academic duties, but teachers were being engaged in Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and the Drug and Socio-Economic Census, which according to them was negatively affecting teaching.
The union alleged that although the government order described the duty as voluntary, the district administration had assigned duties to 607 teachers without seeking their consent. They warned of intensified protests if the issue was not addressed.
