The Bihar Directorate of Secondary Education has withdrawn its order curtailing the holidays of school teachers on Diwali, Durga Pooja, Raksha Bandhan, and other festivals, as per a government order which stirred controversy.
“The holiday table issued for government/government-aided elementary and secondary/higher secondary schools under departmental order memorandum no. 2112 dated 29.08.2023 is cancelled with immediate effect,” a circular by the department said.
Earlier, the education department had announced the reduction of holidays from 23 to 11. As a result, teachers in Bihar threatened to sit on protest. In many schools, teachers were seen attending classes wearing black badges. Several teachers also challenged the Additional Chief Secretary of the education department, KK Pathak. The teachers pointed out that the attendance of students in those festive days would be, in any case, negligible.
The education department had said that it aimed to hold classes for 220 days in an academic year and hence this decision was taken.