BMC criticised for diverting teachers to administrative duties despite staff shortage

There is a critical shortage of teachers in civic schools. Representation pic

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is under fire for diverting school teachers to administrative and clerical duties despite a significant shortage of teaching staff in its municipal schools. Taking serious note of the issue, the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) has issued a directive to the BMC Education Department to take corrective action and submit a detailed report on the measures taken to address the situation.

It recently came to light that approximately 90 teachers, who are critically needed in classrooms owing to a shortage of teachers in civic schools, have been assigned for years to perform clerical tasks in the offices of the joint commissioners, education officers, and other administrative departments. This diversion of teaching staff has led to complaints from parents and concerns over the impact on students' education.

In response to these revelations, activist Nitin Dalvi of the Maharashtra State Student-Parent-Teacher Federation has filed an official complaint with the Maharashtra School Education Department, the MSCPCR, and the BMC commissioner. Dalvi's complaint demands that these teachers be reassigned back to schools and that officials responsible for placing teachers in non-teaching roles be held accountable.

The commission aims to ensure that all diverted teachers return to their classrooms to fulfil their primary role of educating students.

According to government guidelines and Section 27 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, teachers can only be deployed for duties related to census, disaster relief, and election tasks, which are considered essential services. Assigning them to other administrative or clerical tasks, as has been done by the BMC, is a violation of these regulations. The move has sparked criticism, with Dalvi accusing the Education Department and BMC administration of diverting teachers for personal convenience.

Dalvi alleges that civic officials have retained certain teachers in administrative roles for years, and over time, some of these teachers have grown comfortable with these assignments, leading to a cohort within the BMC that actively works to maintain these roles outside the classroom. According to Dalvi, this setup is not only illegal but is also detrimental to students' education, as it exacerbates the shortage of qualified teachers available in schools.

Dalvi stated, "The BMC administration must ensure that these teachers return to their respective schools before the start of the second academic term of 2024-25. If this demand is not met, we will proceed with legal action against the BMC. The directive from the Child Rights Commission has added urgency to the situation, and the BMC must act quickly to address this issue and fulfil the educational needs of the city's students. The civic body has repeatedly failed to resolve the shortage of teachers, which has only worsened as a result of mismanagement."

Commenting on the matter, BMC education officer Rajesh Kankal acknowledged, "Yes, there are teachers assigned to roles in the quality education cell and the scout guides cell. I will review the situation concerning Dalvi's complaint. However, due to the current Model Code of Conduct, I prefer not to make extensive comments on this issue. We will address these complaints after the elections."

90
Approx. no. of teachers put on clerical duty