In a surprising move, the Punjab government has designated school teachers to manage logistics for buses carrying Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers to an event featuring party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This event marks the inauguration of Punjab’s first ‘School of Eminence.’ The decision has raised concerns as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier promised that government teachers would focus solely on teaching, especially during ongoing exams.
The scheduling of teachers for these logistical roles coincides with the ongoing examinations in state-run schools. The Education Department has instructed teachers not to take leave for personal reasons and to prioritise their students’ education.
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District Education Officers (DEOs) in various districts, including Bathinda, Ludhiana, Moga, and Barnala, have ordered the appointment of over 310 teachers, including principals, headmasters, and lecturers, as “in-charge” of PRTC buses transporting AAP workers, reports The Indian Express.
Each bus will have one teacher responsible for ensuring timely refreshments, a smooth journey, and displaying the “School of Eminence” banner, the report added.
Some districts have gone a step further, appointing principals as “nodal officers” to guarantee the punctuality of the buses’ arrivals at the event venue. Ludhiana, a district with 14 assembly segments, has assigned 10 to 15 teachers to each bus, emphasising the need for strict compliance with their duties.
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Several teachers, confused by their unexpected roles, expressed their concerns. One teacher from Moga questioned the necessity of such assignments during exams, saying, “Are teachers meant for this work in the middle of exams?” However, they feel compelled to comply due to their connection to the education department, fearing potential disciplinary actions.
Examinations across the state started on September 11.
Another teacher from Ludhiana highlighted the lack of clarity surrounding their roles, stating that the arrangements had already been made by MLAs and their workers.
“On one hand, Mann saab (CM) says that teachers won’t do any other work other than teaching and on the other hand, we are being asked to accompany party workers that too during exams. We aren’t even sure what our mandate is for tomorrow’s visit. It is nothing more than a show of strength,” mentioned another teacher.
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Kamal Kishor Yadav, the secretary of school education in Punjab, expressed his unawareness of teachers being assigned such roles. He asserted, “Exams are on, and we do not intend to disturb teachers or students for any such program.”
The copies of the letters issued by different districts state that “orders have been issued on the directions of deputy commissioners.”
In response, senior Congress leader and MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira criticised the allocation of resources for this event, calling it a “gross misuse of public exchequer money.”
A senior education department official explained the initial plan for the school campus inauguration and how it evolved to include a political rally. The rally aims to promote new initiatives of the education department while facilitating the participation of AAP workers from across the state via PRTC and Punjab Roadways buses.