WBBPE relieves BLO teachers from sports meet duties

Kolkata: The West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) has issued a directive asking all District Primary School Councils (DPSCs) not to involve teachers serving as Booth Level Officers (BLO) in preparations for the 41st State Level Annual Sports Meet.

The directive follows the Board’s earlier notification on November 7, which instructed that block-, circle and district-level rounds of the annual sports competition be completed between November 17 and December 6.

The state-level meet is scheduled for December 21 and 22. The timeline had triggered concern as thousands of primary teachers were already occupied with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.

Head teachers across districts said routine teaching is being disrupted due to SIR duties, leaving them unsure how to manage classes, election responsibilities and sports meet preparations at the same time. While the latest directive brings relief to teachers with BLO duties, it has increased pressure on school heads, who now have fewer teachers available for organising the sports meet.

Several schools fear that opting out of the competitions may lead to dissatisfaction among parents, but participating without proper preparation could be unfair to students.

Teacher associations have urged the government to postpone the sports meet to January or February.

“The government and the Primary Education Board can organise this competition between January and February of the next academic session. We have already written to the education minister and the Board in this regard,” said Ananda Handa, general secretary of the Bengal Primary Teachers’ Association.