Gujarat Education Department Restricts Non-Academic Tasks for Coordinators

The Gujarat Education Department has issued a directive aimed at ensuring that coordinators within the Samagra Shiksha programme remain focused on academic responsibilities. This circular specifically instructs the coordinators from the Block Resource Centre (BRC), Cluster Resource Centre (CRC), and Urban Resource Centre (URC) not to engage in non-academic tasks unrelated to their core duties.

Under the terms of this order, non-academic tasks may only be assigned in unavoidable circumstances and require the explicit approval of the state project director. The department highlights the importance of these coordinators in executing various educational initiatives, including the School of Excellence, PM Shri schemes, and residential schools such as the Swami Vivekananda schools and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBVs). These initiatives are critical for achieving set educational targets, which can be hindered when coordinators are diverted to unrelated work.

Focus on Educational Responsibilities

The circular points out that district and taluka-level offices often assign additional tasks to coordinators, which detracts from their primary responsibilities. As a result, the Gujarat Education Department reiterated previous instructions emphasizing that no tasks unrelated to the Samagra Shiksha programme should be assigned to these coordinators.

Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the only exceptions for assigning additional duties include those related to population census, elections, and emergency disaster management, such as responses to earthquakes, cyclones, or floods. The Chief Electoral Officer clarified that, while some election-related tasks are permitted, such as collecting election materials, voter list revisions must occur outside of school hours or on non-teaching days. Consequently, activities like voter list updates and supervision of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will not be assigned to BRC, CRC, or URC coordinators during regular school hours.

This move is seen as a necessary step to ensure that educational coordinators can dedicate their time and efforts effectively to the tasks at hand, ultimately benefiting the students and educational institutions under their guidance. By safeguarding their focus on academic initiatives, the Gujarat Education Department aims to enhance the overall quality of education in the state.