Teachers caught between blackboard and ballot box

Ludhiana: Government school teachers and unions have raised concerns over the recent appointment of booth-level officer (BLO) duties. At several institutions, including Government Middle and High Schools in Ayali Kalan, Basti Abdullapura, Barewal Awana, and Chanda Devi Government School, leaders noted that a vast majority of staff members have been drafted for these duties. This comes at a critical juncture involving ongoing exams, result filing, Mega PTM preparations, and the new academic year's admission process.Officials at Government High School, Ayali Kalan, confirmed that 12 out of their 14 teachers have been assigned BLO tasks. In another middle school with a total staff of three, every teacher has been drafted. Teachers stated they are struggling to balance these roles with the tight school schedule, which includes processing non-board final exam results and meeting higher authorities' targets for new admissions."The situation has been reported to higher authorities. If most teachers are on BLO duty, managing school responsibilities becomes difficult," said a school official, expressing hope for a resolution. Manoj Kumar, deputy district education officer (DEO) primary, clarified that BLO duties are generally expected to be performed after school hours, unless specifically directed otherwise. Similarly, Amandeep Singh, deputy DEO secondary, stated that concerns have been conveyed to the relevant authorities to ensure a balance between election and academic responsibilities.However, Rupinder Pal Singh Gill, district general secretary of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), alleged that despite government promises to end non-teaching assignments, the burden persists during the crucial evaluation period. "The teachers should be given only teaching responsibilities and the authorities should engage with the youth and other active members of the community to manage these matters." he added.