The state education department has directed schools across the state not to give non-teaching work to vocational trainers. During a checking by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) officials, it was found that vocational trainers are given non-teaching assignments by some school administrations.
SSA nodal officer Girija Chauhan said, "Vocational courses are being run according to the system devised by the educational department, National Skill Development Council (NSDC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)."
"It was surfaced in several schools that teachers ask vocational trainer to work as they are good and trained in computer-related work," he said, adding that it was affecting the students, who have opted the vocational courses.
"As the vocational education is more practical so we need to give more stress to practical training," said a vocational trainer, requesting anonymity, adding that school administration give them assignments related to office work.
Warning the administration of 200 senior secondary schools, higher education department has shot off a letter directing them not to assign any non-teaching activities to the vocational trainers.
"Moreover, daily, weekly and monthly reports are being collected from the vocational trainers in which a lot of time is utilised. All these non-teaching activities are hampering the studies," read the letter.
Director higher education Shashi Bhushan Sekhri confirmed that a letter has been issued to 200 schools. "If trainers are engaged in other assignment, how the goal could be achieved.
So, we have directed the schools to adhere to the scheme provision and keep trainers free from other assignment," Sekhri told HT.
Meanwhile, there are 200 schools across the state where seven vocational courses are being run. Earlier, there were 100 schools and from beginning of the current session, the education department included 100 more schools and from next session 100 more schools would be added to the vocational training programmes.
In these schools, automobile, retail, securities, health care, agriculture, tourism and information technology is being taught as vocational subjects to 20,000 students by nearly 600 vocational trainers appointed across the state.
