Srinagar, August 25: A prominent political leader in Jammu and Kashmir has asserted that teachers cannot be held solely accountable for shaping the region’s future, stating that the government must first address critical issues concerning their working conditions, school infrastructure, and staffing levels.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the leader, addressing a gathering of educators and office-bearers of the J&K Teachers Forum, highlighted the expanding list of duties often assigned to teachers beyond their core pedagogical responsibilities. These additional tasks, he noted, frequently include election duties, participation in government functions, and involvement in various social campaigns.
“It is a fact that the future of Jammu and Kashmir is our children,” the leader stated. “What will be the future of our children? You all have a very big role in that. But if we put all our responsibility on you and say that what Jammu and Kashmir will be like in the future will be decided by our teachers, then I think that would be a great injustice to you and would put excessive pressure on you.”
The leader emphasized that the advent of smartphones, social media, television, and increasingly, artificial intelligence, has significantly complicated the teaching profession. He questioned the feasibility of teachers discerning whether student assignments are original work or generated with the assistance of AI, posing a new challenge to assessment processes.
The practice of assigning extraneous duties to teachers while their own service-related grievances remain unresolved was also a point of criticism. Examples cited included preparations for Independence Day and Republic Day functions, International Yoga Day, anti-drug campaigns, and election duties, where teachers are often deployed to remote areas.
Conversely, the leader pointed out that when teachers’ own issues, such as transfers or promotions, arise, their files often do not progress with the same alacrity. He stressed the government’s responsibility to address these service-related matters with equal seriousness, referencing issues concerning transfers, departmental promotion committees, and vacant positions.
The disparity in postings between rural and urban areas was also brought to light. The leader acknowledged the challenges faced by teachers in remote rural schools and noted that those with political or social influence often managed to secure postings in urban schools, sometimes with limited experience of rural educational environments.
Concerns regarding the phenomenon of “ghost schools,” where students are enrolled primarily for examination purposes and do not attend regularly, were also discussed. In such cases, students may attend private tuition centres instead of regular classes.
Infrastructure deficiencies, including the use of rented buildings, the presence of unsafe structures, and inadequate access to modern educational tools like smart classrooms, were acknowledged as significant shortcomings. The leader attributed these deficiencies directly to the government, stating that repairing infrastructure and filling vacancies are administrative responsibilities, not those of the teachers.
The leader urged teachers to prepare students for a rapidly evolving global landscape, predicting that the pace of change in the coming decades will far exceed that of recent history. He stressed the need to equip students to make positive contributions to Jammu and Kashmir.
Regarding the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), the leader clarified that its application in Jammu and Kashmir was not a local initiative but a consequence of post-2019 constitutional and legal changes that extend national laws to the region. He mentioned ongoing efforts to contest its implementation, including appeals to the Supreme Court, and assured the teachers that their concerns would continue to be voiced at the highest levels.
The overarching message conveyed was that improved educational outcomes are contingent upon the government’s success in enhancing the working conditions, infrastructure, and overall support systems for teachers. The leader emphasized that expecting teachers to rectify systemic failures without adequate governmental support would be an unreasonable expectation.
While acknowledging financial constraints within Jammu and Kashmir, the leader maintained that these limitations do not absolve the administration of its fundamental responsibilities towards its educators. The core sentiment expressed was a call for supporting teachers rather than burdening them with the entirety of expectations for educational progress and the region’s future development.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
