11 october 2024 : On Thursday, teachers at Government Primary School, Kulara, Samana, were absent from teaching as they participated in a rehearsal for the upcoming panchayat elections on October 15. This situation was mirrored at hundreds of government schools across the state, where teachers were called for rehearsals from October 9 to October 11.
Despite efforts by Education Minister Harjot Bains to direct Deputy Commissioners to assign non-teaching staff for election duties, the impact on teaching has been significant. Primary schools, with only a few teachers, have been particularly affected. In Samana, approximately 40 primary schools were shut down due to the teachers’ involvement in the rehearsals.
Teachers’ unions, such as the Government Teachers’ Union, have raised concerns, with schools in districts like Ropar and Mansa facing similar closures. Pawan Kumar from the Democratic Teachers’ Front noted that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s promise not to assign teachers to election duties had not been fulfilled. As a result, teaching staff from both primary and secondary schools have been diverted to poll-related tasks, leading to disruptions in students’ education.
