It has been an unpleasant academic year for students of government schools whatwith back to back elections since November last year.
After dissolution of the Assembly in September 2018, teachers were engaged in election duty for the December 7 Assembly polls. Later, they got busy with the gram panchayat elections in January this year.
Exam schedule
Now, the announcement of Lok Sabha elections on April 11 has come as rude shock to the teachers as well as students preparing for annual examinations, especially Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams scheduled to be held from March 16 to April 3. The annual exams for classes 1 to 9 will be held from March 30 to April 9.
Interfering with the SSC dates will be yet another election — to the Legislative Council — on March 22 and teachers are rigorously campaigning for their respective teachers’ union candidates in the district.
Disturbances galore
The Lok Sabha election notification is now sure to set off high-voltage campaigning by the candidates and their supporters. The use of loud speakers and increased political activity in every district threatens to affect study hours of the students.
Telangana Rashtra Teachers Federation (TRTF) district president M. Prathap Reddy says the absence of teachers from classrooms off and on since last November would have bearing on the quality of SSC exam results.
“The last working day of the government schools was April 12, but the teachers would be roped in for election duty on April 11. After that, they would have to report to their respective schools on April 12 morning without fail or else they will not get their salary for the summer months. It is a bit harsh on them,” he adds.