Insta
RTE To Now Haunt Delhi’s Teachers? Petition Seeks Higher Working Hours To Comply With Norms
Swarajya Staff
Nov 13, 2018, 02:40 PM | Updated 02:40 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Contending that the current working hours of teachers in Delhi government and local authority schools are violative of the Right to Education Act, a petition in the Delhi High Court called for extending the working hours to seven-and-a-half hours, reports Indian Express.
A civil society organisation, Justice for All has challenged 20 May 2014, circular by the Directorate of Education (DoE) mandating the working hours for teachers in government and government-aided schools in Delhi at six hours for double-shift schools and six-and-a-half hours for single-shift schools.
A bench consisting of Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Kameshwar Rao took up the matter and has sought responses from the respondents, the civic bodies, the Delhi government’s education secretary and the Government Schools Teachers’ Association. The next hearing is on 30 January.
The RTE Act on standards and norms for a school mandates the minimum working for teachers to be 45 hours per week, including preparation time that comes to seven-and-a-half hours per day for a working week of six days.
The DoE on 24 January 2014 had in a circular, increased the working time from 6.45 am to 2.15 pm, for noon session and 11.00 am to 6.30 pm for the afternoon session in double-shift schools (summer timings) and 7.15 am to 2.45 pm for single-shift schools.
A new order was issued three days later, keeping the earlier order on hold until the next academic year, citing the need for more infrastructural facilities such as extra staff rooms and furniture needed to be arranged before enforcing the extended working hours.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Introducing ElectionsHQ + 50 Ground Reports Project
The 2024 elections might seem easy to guess, but there are some important questions that shouldn't be missed.
Do freebies still sway voters? Do people prioritise infrastructure when voting? How will Punjab vote?
The answers to these questions provide great insights into where we, as a country, are headed in the years to come.
Swarajya is starting a project with an aim to do 50 solid ground stories and a smart commentary service on WhatsApp, a one-of-a-kind. We'd love your support during this election season.
Click below to contribute.