Patna (Bihar):
Bihar’s education department has withdrawn its controversial decision restricting teachers’ holidays on Diwali, Durga Pooja, Raksha Bandhan and other festivals, according to a government order.
“The holiday table issued for government/government-aided primary and secondary/higher secondary schools under Departmental Decree No. 2112 of August 29, 2023 is canceled with immediate effect,” said a circular issued by the director of the secondary education.
Bihar’s secondary education department had previously announced the reduction of holiday days for teachers from 23 to 11, sparking outrage among teachers in the state who had even warned of protests.
Bihar’s education department is withdrawing the announcement to reduce the number of public holidays in government schools from 23 to 11 between September and December. pic.twitter.com/MtMXnZzmSh
— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2023
In many schools, teachers were seen attending classes with black badges. Many teachers had even gone so far as to challenge the additional chief secretary of the education department, KK Pathak.
Several teachers had also pointed out that student attendance would be negligible on those holidays anyway.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in opposition in the state, has also criticized Nitish Kumar’s government for cutting holidays on Rakshabandhan, Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath.
The education department had said it wanted to hold classes for 220 days per academic year and so this decision was made.
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