The Delhi High has reprimanded the authorities for assigning duties to school teachers which are not related to imparting education. A petition had been filed by Akhil Delhi Prathmik Shikshak Sangh comprising of school teachers of Municipal Corporation of Delhi run schools. Their plea stated that the teachers of the government schools were assigned duties not linked to education including opening of bank accounts of children and linking them with Aadhaar cards. They are also required to conduct a house to house survey to maintain the ward education register which otherwise is the task of the local authorities.
According to the high court, the Municipal Corporations cannot ask the teachers and principals to perform duties outside the purview of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act and rules under it. Justice C Hari Shankar directed that the authorities can seek assistance from the Principals and teachers but will not be treated as mandatory and cannot be made a basis for proceeding against them for non-rendering adequate assistance.
