Teachers in the National Capital Region (NCR) cities of Gurgaon, Noida, and Ghaziabad are up in arms against recent government directives that assign them the responsibility of managing stray dogs on school premises. The orders, issued in compliance with Supreme Court directions, have been met with strong resistance from educators who say they are already overwhelmed with numerous non-academic tasks.
What the Government Orders Mandate
The controversy stems from official communications sent to schools across the region. In Gurgaon, the order was formally sent to schools on Tuesday, instructing them to appoint a nodal officer to ensure premises cleanliness and prevent stray dogs from entering or inhabiting the campus. Noida received its directive on December 20, while schools in Ghaziabad were notified on December 30.
These actions follow a Supreme Court directive from November 7, which urged state governments and local bodies to take urgent public safety and health measures to curb dog bites in institutional areas like schools, hospitals, and transport hubs.
Education department officials clarified that the nodal teacher would primarily have a coordinating role. Principals are to designate a teacher as the single point of contact with municipal bodies for reporting, removing, or relocating stray dogs found within school boundaries. Schools are also mandated to physically inspect boundary walls, gates, and entry points to secure campuses against new strays.
Teachers Voice Their Frustration
Educators have sharply criticized the move, viewing it as another non-academic burden being forced upon them. A teacher from a Gurgaon government school highlighted the growing list of extra duties: "Apart from teaching, we survey out-of-school children, supervise construction, check students' height and weight, and even look after kitchen gardens and cleanliness drives. Why can't the government appoint guards for this instead?"
Another teacher pointed out the cumulative impact on education. "A new task is added every few weeks. Individually they seem small, but together they drastically cut into the time and energy we have for our students," the teacher explained.
The protest is particularly strong in Uttar Pradesh, where teachers already serve as Block Level Officers (BLOs) for intensive electoral roll revision work. Praveen Sharma, president of Noida's Government Primary Teachers' Association, stated, "Teachers are overburdened with BLO duty, election duty, polio duty, family surveys, census, and medical duties. Campus security and stray dog management should be for guards or non-teaching staff." He added that imposing such thankless jobs demeans the teaching profession.
Official Stand: Student Safety is Paramount
Education department officials have dismissed the criticism, emphasizing that student safety is a non-negotiable priority. A senior official from the Haryana Education Department stated, "When children are in school, whose responsibility are they? This order simply ensures no stray dog enters and bites them." He drew a parallel to parental duty at home, saying school staff must ensure gates are closed and campuses are secure.
Echoing this, a senior UP education department official said the responsibility for child safety lies with school managements, who must coordinate with municipal authorities. "Student safety remains the top priority," the official reaffirmed.
The standoff highlights the ongoing tension between the teaching community's core academic responsibilities and the increasing administrative and civic duties being assigned to them by authorities.
