WARANGAL: Teacher unions and Opposition parties on Wednesday urged the state government to exclude government primary school teachers from caste survey duties, as they are preparing Classes III, VI, and IX students for the National Achievement Survey (NAS) test scheduled for December 4 in Warangal and Karimnagar districts.
The state government assigned government primary school teachers as enumerators for the comprehensive caste survey and announced half-day schedules for all government primary schools.
This decision comes as teachers are preparing students for the NAS examination, conducted every three years to assess learning levels in government schools nationwide.
N. Hymavathi, a government teacher, told the Deccan Chronicle that the education department has implemented measures to improve the state’s rank in the NAS survey, providing teachers with practice papers to help students perform well.
However, the government assigned survey duties to government teachers, including primary school staff. Teachers are struggling to balance these responsibilities with preparing students for NAS, she added.
P. Yadagiri, a leader of the Telangana Progressive Teachers Federation (TPTF), argued that the government should either reduce teachers' workload or exclude them from survey duties, as it takes about 45 minutes to collect details from one family. Completing the survey within three weeks would be challenging, he said, and teachers also need time to focus on student preparation for NAS.
BRS leader A. Rakesh Reddy criticised the Congress-led government for engaging teachers in the caste survey until November 30. Many students from weaker sections and BC, ST, and SC communities attend government schools.
"Instead of enhancing educational standards, how can the government assign survey work to teachers? Who will teach and complete the syllabus when teachers are occupied with government tasks?" he questioned.
