The Government has come up with a “code of conduct’ for secondary school teachers, including those in private schools. The draft code of conduct has been circulated among teachers’ unions.
The proposal also puts restrictions on investments and business by family members of the teachers. If any member has an insurance policy, or is involved in insurance business or any other business, it needs to be reported to the Deputy Director of Education, according to the proposal. It also stipulates that a teacher should not marry a person whose expartner is alive and also bars teachers from entering into a marriage contract sans permission from school management. The proposal also adds that marriage to a foreigner should be reported to the manage- ment. The proposal also puts restrictions on teachers’ participation in social or political movement and asks them to convince family members to do so. They would also be required to infbrm the management if a family member wants to contest election.
On occasions like birthdays, marriage anniversary, or any religious or community programme, a teacher should not accept contribution of more than Rs 500 from relatives, the proposal says.
There is also a ban on exchanging gifts with friends and relatives. The proposal clarifies that the word ‘gift’ means treat from friends, free travelling or a stay at someone’s house.
The proposal says teachers should not write or edit any book or article.
Even if they want to write something without mentioning their name or using an alias, permission has to be taken from the management, it says.
MLC Kapil Patil who raised the issue in the Legislative Council, condemned the proposal, saying such proposal should be thrown away. If the Government implements the proposalitwouldbecurtailingpolitical and civil rights of teachers given by the Constitution, Patil said.
He said it was not only the teacher but his family also who would be restricted from doing certain duties.
Texachers’organisationswouldnotallow the Government to implement this proposal, he said.