Teachers say no to extra summer classes

NEW DELHI: The Government School Teachers'' Association (GSTA) has decided to boycott extra classes being held for Class X and XII students during the ongoing summer vacations.
Teachers say they had to "resort to boycott" due to the hurried and "unfair" manner of the orders relating to the extra classes that kicked off just two days ago on Monday.
GSTA members allege that the directorate of education is calling teachers during the two-month summer break without making any commitment on giving compensatory leaves.
Teachers also say that the orders had been issued without any advance planning, and instructions on holding summer classes reached many schools after vacations had begun on May 1.
"Teachers will not take any classes till there is a written assurance from the directorate that we will be granted encashable earned leaves. Arrangements must also be made to pay the transport allowance," said GSTA president Om Singh.
Officials at the directorate of education, however, have refuted the charges being made by teachers. Authorities have also warned of disciplinary action if orders of holding the classes are not followed.
"We have not received any written statement about a boycott till now. Just a small effort on our part can help our students perform better in the examinations. Action will be taken against those who refuse to co- operate," said director (education) Rajendra Kumar.
Kumar also added that monetary compensation had already been announced for teachers who would take extra classes during the vacations.
The summer classes had been initiated in schools identified to have shown a weak performance in Board results over the years.
"Weak" schools are defined as those institutions where the total pass percentage of Board students is less than the overall city average.
Though the classes had been targeted specially at the poor performers, other schools had also been encouraged to follow the initiative.
Extra classes for Board students had been held in the autumn break last year as well. However, this was the first time the directorate had scheduled intensive month-long classes in the summer vacations.
Subjects like English, mathematics, and science, generally considered tough for average students, were to be covered in the holiday sessions.