A directive from a Mumbai education officer, which instructed schools to appoint a teacher as a nodal officer to prevent stray dogs from entering campuses, has sparked significant backlash and confusion among the city's teaching community. The order, perceived as an insult and an additional non-academic burden, prompted swift clarification from senior state education officials who termed it a misinterpretation.
Directive Triggers Immediate Backlash
The controversy erupted following an order issued by Dr. Mushtaq Shaikh, the Education Officer (EO) for the Mumbai North Division. The directive, dated in late December 2025, stated that as per Supreme Court directions, each school must appoint one teacher as a nodal officer. This officer's responsibility would be to ensure campus cleanliness and prevent stray dogs from roaming within the school premises.
The Mumbai North EO's office, which oversees roughly over 1,000 schools from Mulund to Kurla and Chembur, attached a prescribed Excel format for schools to submit the required information. This move quickly led to outrage among teachers' unions in Mumbai.
Teachers' Unions Decry "Insulting" Move
One of the prominent teachers' associations, the Maharashtra Purogami Shikshak Sangathana, strongly opposed the directive. The association wrote formal letters of protest to the state's School Education Minister and other authorities.
Tanaji Kamble, a representative from the Sangathana, voiced strong criticism. He argued that the order was not only insulting but also undermined the primary role of educators. "Responsibilities such as sanitation, campus maintenance, and stray dog control fall under municipal corporations and local administrative bodies," Kamble stated. He accused the administration of burdening teachers with non-academic duties to mask administrative failures.
Department Clarifies: A Case of Misinterpretation
Amid the growing protest, senior officials from the Maharashtra school education department stepped in to clarify the situation. They asserted that the original intent of the communication had been misinterpreted at the local level.
The directive was linked to a suo motu petition currently being heard by the Supreme Court, addressing the public nuisance and human-animal conflict caused by stray animals. In compliance with the SC's directions, the Education Commissioner's office had sought details on precautionary measures from all schools.
Sachindra Pratap Singh, the Commissioner of Education, explicitly stated, "The information is sought on precautionary and preventive measures taken in schools to submit it to the SC. There is no mention of appointing a teacher as a nodal officer." He added that if any officer had issued such a directive, it was incorrect and would be investigated. Dr. Shaikh, the EO who issued the contentious order, was unavailable for comment.
Resolution and Ongoing Concerns
While the state department's clarification has temporarily eased the immediate crisis, the incident has highlighted the persistent issue of non-academic duties being assigned to teachers. The teachers' bodies maintain that such orders divert focus from their core educational responsibilities and reflect systemic problems in administrative planning and municipal services.
The episode, which came to light on January 3, 2026, underscores the communication gaps within the education bureaucracy and the proactive stance of teachers' unions in challenging directives they deem inappropriate. The department's promise to look into the wrongly issued order is now awaited by the teaching fraternity.
