The teachers who are on the duty for Maharashtra assembly polls are worried about losing two days of the festival break, their second-longest vacation in the year
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The date of polling for the state Assembly election has left many school teachers disappointed, as it is clashing with their Diwali vacation -- the second longest holiday they get in a year. The state teachers association has written to the Devendra Fadnavis government requesting to extend the holiday for the festival. The state will vote on October 21, the same day the city schools are shutting for Diwali. Teachers are, however, concerned that they will have to put in one extra day for the poll duty.
"Teachers are the workforce for poll duty. Even though this is a one-day task, we will end up spending two days, considering our experience of the past elections. This means all teachers will lose two days of their vacation for the election duty," said Anil Bornare of Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad. "We will not even get a compensatory leaves for the holidays that we will be working for elections. Teachers are already burdened with so many non-academic tasks in all government and aided schools," said one teacher.
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Another added, "When teachers are always taken for granted when it comes to election works, their issues should not be neglected." Vandana Krisha, principal secretary for the school education minister, was unavailable for a comment. However, a senior official from the department, on condition of anonymity, said, "Generally, teachers complained about losing out on academic days due to poll duty. Now, coincidentally, the election schedule is not clashing with academics, so there shouldn't be any issue. There is no point in extending their vacation because it will hamper the academic calendar."
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