Khammam: Education Department’s controversial order irks physics teachers, complain of workload

The forum argues that in the appointment of physical science school assistant (SA) posts mathematics was not a prerequisite.

Khammam: The education department’s recent order directing the physical science teachers to teach mathematics to sixth and seventh standard students has led to a controversy among the teaching community. The Forum of Physical Science Teachers has been opposing the memo: 11143 wherein they are directed to teach the subject to the said classes. The forum is demanding the department to withdraw the memo with immediate effect.

The forum argues that in the appointment of physical science school assistant (SA) posts mathematics was not a prerequisite. As per an order issued in 2016 for workload distribution, SA physical science directed to take maths classes for sixth class along with physics for eighth, ninth and tenth classes while the SA maths directed to take maths from sixth to tenth classes.

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According to the RTE Act, 2009 a subject teacher should teach his subject alone. The memo: 11143 aims to reduce work load on mathematics teachers with just three classes while physics teachers are forced to take five classes. It is unjust and imposes workload on physics teachers, the forum noted.

Speaking to Telangana Today, the forum president D Jagadiswar a physics teacher has five periods and two lab activity periods and two computer periods in addition to training children in science programmes like Inspire and are already under a lot of work pressure.

He felt that the education department has to consider the minutes of a meeting of SCERT and Director of School Education in distributing the workload instead of giving priority to views of some individuals. He also wanted to increase the number of physics periods in view of its importance in competitive exams like JEE and others.

Jagadiswar informed that the matter has been taken to the notice of education department principal secretary Burra Venkatesham and he assured to address the issue. The department has to take a proper decision before the commencement of the coming academic year, he said.

There are around 12, 673 physics teachers and 15, 000 maths teachers in Telangana. If the department fails to address the issue in a just manner the forum would knock on the doors of the court. The forum has planned to meet ministers and MLAs in all the districts in the next few days seeking to address the issue, he added.