Bengaluru, Sep 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) Karnataka School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa on Friday urged the Election Commission to relieve government and aided school teachers from duties related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that their continued deployment was seriously affecting classroom teaching and students' education.
Speaking to reporters at his home office in Bengaluru, Bangarappa said he had written to the Election Commission (EC) seeking the release of teachers from SIR duties, but had received no response.
"Relieve our teachers from the SIR process. The education of children is being severely affected. Despite writing to the Election Commission, there has been no response. The Election Commission is acting without humanity," he added.
Bangarappa said that teachers were already burdened by SIR duties and that the delay in completing the electoral roll exercise had disrupted academic activities in schools.
He expressed concern that the situation could eventually affect students' examination results.
He said the state government was preparing a new Bill to prevent government and aided school teachers from being deployed for caste census, surveys and other non-teaching duties in the future.
"Our teachers have been very cooperative and are doing a good job. Effective teaching by teachers is a major reason for good results among students. But a system has developed where teachers are being used for caste census, various surveys and other work. This needs to change," the Minister added.
He said that complaints were being received from students and parents about the shortage of teachers caused by their deployment for SIR duties.
Some parents had complained that teachers were unavailable in schools and that children were being sent home after the mid-day meal, he added.
He said that Legislative Council member Puttanna had also repeatedly raised the issue and sought the release of teachers from SIR and other duties.
"Parents, teachers, legislators and other people's representatives who have met me are saying that this is unfair and that teachers should only be given teaching responsibilities. But despite repeated requests, the Election Commission is not listening," Minister Bangarappa added.
He said he was preparing a separate Bill to ensure that teachers were not routinely assigned non-teaching responsibilities.
"I am preparing a new Bill on this issue. I have already held meetings with officials and discussed how the Bill should be formulated. We will place it before the State Cabinet and try to introduce and pass it during a forthcoming Assembly session," he added.
He acknowledged that government employees may sometimes have to be deployed for election-related duties, but said the continuous deployment of teachers for survey work such as SIR during the academic year was affecting children's education.
The Minister said the state government had conducted various surveys in the past while making arrangements to ensure that they did not disrupt schooling.
"But we are facing considerable difficulties because of SIR. If you ask any government employee, they say they are engaged in SIR work. If this continues, whom will ordinary people approach with their problems?" he asked.
Bangarappa also referred to concerns raised by the Cockrioach Janta Party (CJP) over teacher shortages and disruption of teaching due to SIR duties.
He said that CJP representatives, including Ashutosh Ranka, had met him and discussed the situation in government schools, including the need to relieve teachers from SIR work.
Responding to the concerns, Bangarappa said he had told the organisation that the issue was not confined to Karnataka and required the intervention of the Centre and the Election Commission.
"This is a national issue and is not limited to our state. The Central government and the Election Commission should act humanely. Using teachers in this manner can only be described as the misuse of teachers," he added.
With half-yearly examinations under way and preparatory examinations scheduled in the coming days, Bangarappa expressed concern over the availability of teachers in schools.
"If teachers are not available in schools at this time, how will children face their examinations properly?" he asked, warning that the continuation of SIR duties could affect the quality of education.
Responding to political allegations surrounding the SIR exercise, including those raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Bangarappa said questions had emerged over transparency in the electoral process and protection of citizens' voting rights.
"If votes are illegally lost, what value does democracy have? Does the Constitution given by B.R. Ambedkar have no value? People's faith in the voting system must be maintained," he added.
On allegations that shoes and socks being distributed to school children were of poor quality, Bangarappa denied that the quality was substandard but acknowledged issues relating to sizing.
"It is false that the quality of shoes and socks is poor. However, I accept that there have been differences in sizes," the Minister said.
Bangarappa added that he had instructed officials to address the issue two days before the Lokayukta reportedly took suo motu cognisance of the matter.
Committees led by the chief executive officers of all districts had been formed and directed to visit schools and submit reports, the Minister said.
"For children facing size-related problems, instructions have been issued to provide them with appropriately sized shoes and socks. Steps will be taken to ensure that children do not face any inconvenience," he added.
Source: IANS
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