The observation by the authorities of the Delhi High Court revealed that the teachers are asked to perform non-educational duties on behalf of the schools which include duties which are outside the purview of Right to Education Act 2009 stating free and compulsory Education to Children aging six to fourteen.
Justice C Hari Shankar observed the notifications issued by the corporations informing principals and teachers to conduct household surveys and participate in the preparation of the Ward Education Register.
However, the court informed that authorities are only allowed to seek help from principals and teachers of schools to perform duties only while opening bank accounts of children in schools and linking them with Aadhar Cards, only when the teachers are willing to perform and not consider these duties to be mandatory.
“This court is constrained to take judicial notice of the fact that there is a prevalent practice, in recent times, of schools assigning to teachers duties and tasks not remotely connected to imparting of education. This, in the opinion of this court, is impermissible and unconscionable in equal measure,” court informed.
The court added, “Education is a serious affair, and teachers are justifiably regarded as discharging divine duties, nourishing and nurturing the minds of tomorrow. Single-minded devotion and blind pursuit of excellence must guide every educator. It is no less than an affront, therefore, to belabor teachers with tasks which deflect, detract and distract, from the noble task of imparting education.”
After a petition filed by an organization called Akhil Delhi Prathmik Shikshak Sangh, a society which consists of school teachers runs by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the court passed the order regarding the duties performed by the school teachers which are not in the purview of RTE Act 2009.
The petition stated all the other duties which are performed by teachers which does not include imparting education, hence these duties were challenged considering them to be mandatory.