Sunil Chadha
Shimla: Students may get a day off when the skies open up, but teachers often don’t. That gap in policy has sparked outrage in Himachal Pradesh this week after photos and videos of drenched, exhausted teachers battling monsoon rain went viral across Facebook and WhatsApp.
The images are hard to ignore: Teachers trekking through landslide-prone stretches and wading through knee-deep muddy waters to reach school and mark attendance. In one widely shared recent video from Mandi, students are seen carrying two pregnant teachers across a washed-out patch of road to safety.
The posts have struck a chord with thousands online, prompting growing calls for teachers and non-teaching staff to be included in rain holiday notifications. “Why is safety optional for teachers?” asked one caption that has been shared widely in the hill state.
Currently, district administrations across Himachal often declare school holidays during heavy rains or landslide alerts, but the orders typically apply only to students.
Teachers and support staff are still required to report to duty — even if that means navigating treacherous mountain roads or risking swollen streams. Unions say this not only endangers lives but also sends the wrong message about valuing staff welfare.
Officials counter that prolonged closures are already disrupting the academic calendar. With only a fraction of the syllabus completed in some districts, education officers warn of learning gaps ahead of mid-term exams.
To make up lost ground, several schools are scheduling full-day Saturday classes and exploring adjustments to the winter break. “We can’t afford to lose more teaching days,” said one education department official.
But with social media setting the narrative, the issue has shifted from attendance to fairness. Parents, too, are voicing concern, arguing that unsafe, fatigued teachers cannot be expected to deliver quality lessons.
As the monsoon continues to pound Himachal, pressure is mounting on the state government to revisit its guidelines. The question being asked loudly now is simple: if classrooms are unsafe for children, aren’t they unsafe for teachers too?
