SIR work preventing completion of syllabus for half-yearly exam, say school teachers

As the half-yearly exam approaches, schools with teachers assigned as Booth Level Officers (BLO) to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duty are struggling to complete the syllabus in time.

“We can’t even think about teaching now. The form distribution takes up our entire day. With so much pressure from higher officials to complete our duty, we really can’t think about the children right now. Our primary job has now become second priority,” said a secondary grade teacher from Erode, who is on deputation as a BLO.

Over 68,000 teachers, Anganwadi workers, noon meal works, and electricity bill readers, among others in Tamil Nadu have been deputed as BLOs. They have to distribute unique enumeration forms (EF) to every voter, help the voter to link them with relatives from last revision, verify details and make at least three visits to the electors’ house among other duties including uploading the details.

“Our students have half yearly exams coming up, apart from this there’s Ennum Ezhuthum, Kalaithiruvizha, and other administrative activities to complete. All of these will be affected. The students will lose touch with the subjects as we can’t be present with them,” the teacher added.

While the teachers have to conduct their BLO duty after school hours, most of them, fearing the backlash of not completing the duty, are not going to school. “We have got one hour’s permission from school’s last hour to complete our BLO duties but it’’ simply not enough. The students are definitely collateral in this hurried exercise. We have no response when parents question us regarding the students’ education,” said S. Punitha, Secondary Grade teacher from Thoothukudi on BLO duty.

As the teachers on BLO deputation can not teach their classes, the responsibility now falls on other teachers. “I have to teach four classes on top of my class. I can’t manage all their education. My class alone has 30 students. How will I teach four other classes too. I am unable to complete portions for all four classes now,” said a government school teacher from Tiruvottriyur who is managing her colleague’s classes.

Some teachers are following up on WhatsApp groups to ensure that their students were keeping up with their studies. “The half-yearly exam for Class V begins on December 15. I message them to remind them that I am keeping up with their studies and to approach me for any doubts,” said a government school teacher from Erode.

Noting that the School Education Department is aware of the circumstances, a senior official from the department said, “We have advised schools to appoint teachers through the School Management Committee and also use surplus teachers to manage the need for teaching.”

Despite repeated attempts, the Chief Electoral Officer could not be reached.