Maharashtra government wants zilla parishad teachers to display their ‘dignified’ photos in classrooms
Teacher organisations, associations and groups questioned the rationale behind displaying the photograph of a teacher, who remains present in front of the students throughout the day.
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Orders in this regard are being issued since July last week at the district level under the education department’s new programme 'Aaple Guruji'. (File photo, representational)The Maharashtra government wants zilla parishad teachers to display their A4 size photographs in classrooms to present themselves in a dignified manner and ensure a sense of belonging is established between them and their students.
Orders in this regard are being issued since July last week at the district level under the education department’s new programme ‘Aaple Guruji (our teacher)’. Teachers from across the state have been asked to submit reports of having followed the order by displaying their photographs in schools.
“The idea is to present teachers in a more dignified way and to ensure that some sense of belonging is established between them and the students,” said Suraj Mandhare, Commissioner (Education). Interestingly, no formal Cabinet decision or government resolution has been announced regarding the programme. However, sources said the issue was discussed in a Cabinet meeting, following which, instructions have been issued.
Meanwhile, teacher organisations, associations and groups questioned the rationale behind displaying the photograph of a teacher, who remains present in front of the students throughout the day.
“If the government wants to establish a sense of belonging between us and the students, then first of all, teachers should not be given excessive non-education related works. Secondly, we, the teachers, interact with students daily for hours. Why do we need a photograph in the classroom to present ourselves in a dignified manner?” asked Vijay Kombe, state general secretary of Maharashtra State Primary Teachers’ Committee – one of the largest representatives of primary teachers in Maharashtra.
The committee has appealed to the teachers to boycott the programme. Kombe said the least the government could have done was to seek permission from the teachers. “Is it even logical? Why are we wasting our time in symbolic gestures instead of focusing on real issues concerned to the education sector?” he asked.
Bhausaheb Chaskar, Convener of Active Teachers’ Forum, said, “Teachers are irritated over the number non-educational duties assigned to them. Different government departments use their services for village-level activities, forcing them out of class. This is nothing but the violation of the Right to Education Act. If teachers are allowed to do their primary job of teaching, the sense of belonging between students and teachers will be established without displaying photographs.”
Mandhare, however, said the campaign should be taken in the right spirit and many Zilla Parishad schools have already completed the project. Asked whether action will be taken against those who do not display their A4 size photographs in classrooms, Mandhare said that no such decision has been taken yet as the department expects that all teachers will follow the instructions.
“Reasons behind not putting up the photo will definitely be inquired into,” he added.
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