HT Digital
Thursday, October 17: In a significant move, the Sadou Asom Sanmilito Shikshak Mancha (SASSM), an umbrella organization representing all teachers’ groups in Assam, has decided to withdraw from all WhatsApp groups that include education officers and officials by October 18, 2024. The decision comes as a form of protest against the government for assigning tasks to teachers that are not part of their academic calendar. The teachers feel that they are being overburdened with non-academic responsibilities that divert their focus from teaching.
At a meeting held on October 15, 2024, the SASSM leadership unanimously resolved that teachers would leave all official teacher-education and Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCC) WhatsApp groups. These groups, often used by education officers to communicate directives and updates, have become a point of contention as teachers feel they are being inundated with tasks that fall outside their primary teaching duties.
In addition to quitting the WhatsApp groups, the meeting resulted in another significant decision: from November 1, 2024, teachers will refuse to comply with any government orders assigning tasks that are not part of the academic calendar. The Mancha stated that teachers would no longer be held accountable for refusing to undertake work that does not directly relate to their academic responsibilities. Should any harassment occur due to non-compliance, the teachers have threatened to launch a protest.
The decision to desert WhatsApp groups stems from a growing dissatisfaction among teachers over their involvement in various non-academic activities that they argue detract from their primary role as educators. According to SASSM, teachers have been assigned numerous additional responsibilities, such as participating in FLN (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy) training, organizing events like Amrit Briksha, Vidyanjali Utsav, Education Week, and hosting essay and slogan competitions. They are also involved in activities like Teaching-Learning Aid Day, ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) training, Mass Feasts, Har Ghar Tiranga, Space Day celebrations, and Swachhta Fortnight Programs, among others. Furthermore, teachers are required to undergo three-day training for school management committees, and assist in organizing programs like Veer Gatha, UDISE data collection, art festivals, Khel Moharan, and Nijut Moina.
Since August 2024, these additional duties have increasingly disrupted the regular academic schedule. Teachers argue that these responsibilities take time away from their core function of educating students, and the need to continuously update higher officials about their participation in such tasks adds to their stress. The Mancha expressed its frustration that despite the overwhelming workload, the teachers are still being expected to meet these demands without any relief.
SASSM also highlighted that the education department had instructed schools to conduct Periodic Assignment Tests (PAT) from October 14 and update the results on the SARAL app. However, despite this directive, the department has yet to open the app, causing further confusion and frustration among the teachers. The delay in opening the app for result updates only adds to the inefficiency, the Mancha argued.
This ongoing strain between teachers and the government over non-academic work assignments is not new, but it has intensified in recent months. The teachers’ refusal to comply with these additional tasks could lead to disruptions in the functioning of schools, as well as potentially affecting various government-led educational initiatives.
SASSM’s decision to resort to protest actions reflects the growing discontent among educators who feel that their primary responsibility of teaching is being undermined. With the threat of further agitation looming, the state government may need to reassess the workloads it imposes on teachers and reconsider how best to balance extracurricular activities with academic responsibilities to avoid further friction.
