ISLAMABAD, Nov 01 (DNA):The teachers of leading private schools in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are under severe stress as their workload of non-academic and extracurricular activities has increased manifold, relegating their primary task of teaching to the background.
From daily themed activities like Colour Day, Mango Day, Welcome Parties, to week-long preparations for annual functions, sports galas and social media content creation, teachers say they are forced to work beyond their job descriptions without any extra compensation.
Many teachers believe these activities are now being used as a marketing strategy to attract admissions, while the entire burden is placed on the teaching staff.
A female teacher Noshaba at a prominent private school said “we were appointed to teach, but most of our time is now consumed by classroom decoration, event management, dance rehearsals and making videos for school pages”.
She stated that they have to stay after school hours for preparations. If parents complain about a single picture, the management holds them responsible.
She remarked that earlier, competition among schools was based on academic results. Now it is based on who organizes more colourful functions. In this race, real education is suffering
Another teacher Tehreem from a private school in F-8 sector said, “Our official timing is till 1:30 p.m., but during event season we stay till 4 p.m. There is no overtime. Those who refuse to stay face consequences in their evaluation.”
Teachers performing duties as hosts, photographers and crowd managers during Parent-Teacher Meetings and Fun Fairs also complained of exhaustion,she complained.
She told that “On PTM and Fun Gala days, we have to stand for seven to eight hours to manage the rush. The very next day, we are expected to deliver lectures with the same energy in class. It is extremely tiring,” a teacher from I-8 shared.
