Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, January 29
School teachers in Bihar “failed” the state government by refusing to follow the instructions to work as spies and agents of the prohibition and excise department.
They have decided to burn the copies of the order of the additional chief secretary, education department on January 30.
The controversial circular issued by the ACS, Sanjay Kumar on January 28 (yesterday) to all regional directors of education, district education officers and programme officers directing them to instruct the teachers of primary, secondary, higher secondary and Urdu medium schools to work as spies of the prohibition department and help identify the tipplers in their areas.
The circular says teachers collect information about the people involved in consumption and business of liquor and pass on the information to the three mobile numbers of the Prohibition department.
Teachers have been asked not to allow misuse of the school premises for consumption or storage of liquor. The district officers have been directed to take help of the Shiksha Sewaks (not on regular government service) in creating awareness for prohibition. They have been assured the identity of the informant teachers would be kept secret.
There are 4,50 lakh teachers engaged in the state. Bihar Rajya Prathmaik (primary) Shukshak Sangh President Pradip Kumar Pappu on Saturday said teachers all over the state would burn copies of the controversial circular. It tarnishes the image of school teachers who are asked to do non-teaching jobs.
Teachers demanded two personal security officers with each of them to carry on the new assignment. On July 24, 2021, director of the mid-day meal scheme, Satish Chandra Jha, had sent a circular to all teachers in the state directing them to sell gunny bags at the rate of Rs ten per sack and deposit the money in government treasury. These bags were used to import food items under the scheme. Teachers were seen carrying used gunny bags on their shoulders in markets at different places in the state.
Earlier, they were also directed to ensure success of the Swatchta (cleanliness) mission in the villages and detect those defecating in the fields and report their names to the police.
