Mahinder Patyal
Bharmour
In a district like Chamba, known for its difficult geographical terrain, assigning census duties to teachers after school hours is neither practical nor fair. This was stated by Bharmaur–Pangi MLA Dr. Janak Raj, who raised serious concerns over the additional workload being imposed on educators.
He pointed out that many schools are located in remote areas where teachers must walk for hours to reach. Poor roads, steep mountain paths, and the upcoming monsoon season will make the challenge even greater. Expecting teachers to shoulder census responsibilities after a full day of teaching, he said, amounts to placing an unnecessary burden on them.
“Teachers are not just employees; they are the architects of our children’s future. If most of their time and energy is consumed by non-academic tasks, it will directly affect students’ learning, exam results, and the overall quality of education,” Dr. Raj emphasized.
He further warned that continuous extra duties could harm teachers’ mental and physical health, reducing their effectiveness in classrooms.
As a solution, Dr. Raj suggested that the government should engage educated unemployed youth, outsourced staff, or specially appointed enumerators for census work. This would not only provide thousands of young people with employment and experience but also ensure that schools function smoothly without disruption.
“Census is vital for nation-building, but education is the foundation of the nation’s future. Both are essential, and the government must find a balanced solution so that neither census nor children’s education suffers,” he added.
The MLA urged the government to free teachers from non-academic burdens, enabling them to devote their full energy and dedication to shaping the future of students.
