Punjab Education Minister Advocates Exclusive Classroom Engagement for Teachers

In a decisive move, Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has addressed the deployment of teachers for non-teaching duties. Bains wrote to the state's chief secretary, emphasizing that no teacher should be tasked with routine clerical and administrative responsibilities.

He highlighted the pivotal role teachers play in shaping Punjab's future, describing them as torchbearers of knowledge. Pointing to Section 27 of the RTE Act, Bains explained that teachers are legally protected from non-educational work, with exceptions for census, disaster relief, and elections.

Bains has instructed the chief secretary to ensure that all administrative departments and district authorities comply with this directive, maintaining that teachers belong in classrooms, not administrative offices.

(With inputs from agencies.)