Teachers fear losing first term holidays due to Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations

CHENNAI: Teachers and students fear that their first term vacations may get cancelled, after the government issued a circular last Monday asking schools to organise a host of activities in the week leading up to Gandhi Jayanthi. While the term holidays run between Sept 24 and Oct 2, activities have been planned out from Sept 23.

The activities include secular prayers by children and their parents, cultural programmes, cleaning and sanitary activities, oratorical and essay competitions and exhibitions among others. However, this has irked students and teachers who would have to forgo their vacation to participate in them. A part of the Hindu Navarathri festival also coincides with the term vacations.

Government school teachers have expressed concern over the circular, as many of them are deployed in schools far away from their home town. "School holidays are the only time we can go back home. If schools are asked to conduct these programs, inevitably teachers will be forced to stay back to host the events and accompany or assist students," said PK Ilamaran, Tamil Nadu Government Teachers Association leader.

A class 8 student from a government-aided school in Chennai told Express, "My parents had already booked train tickets to visit my grandparents living in Madurai. We may be forced to cancel our tickets
if my school forces me to participate in these cultural programs. I'm among the few girls who can dance Bharathanatyam in my School," she said.

A senior official from the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) told Express that the circular follows an instruction from the union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi. "The circular is however suggestive. It is not compulsory for students and teachers to participate. But whoever is interested and available should take part in it or organise it," he
said adding that participation will be voluntary.

He further added that any teacher must be keen on hosting such events as "it is the 150th birth anniversary of a great leader from India and children must be given the opportunity to participate in such patriotic events."

Ilamaran argued that even though it is voluntary on paper, principals cannot refuse to hold these activities if a Chief Education Officer instructs schools to hold them. "Subsequently, teachers cannot say no
if the headmasters assign deputation for these activities and students will have to participate, if their teachers asks them to," he said urging the government to cancel the week long celebrations.