Order to remove chairs from classrooms to make 'sitting teachers' work

KARACHI: In a ‘novel yet unprecedented move’, the directorate of provincial school education department has asked all heads of schools in Hyderabad to ‘remove’ chairs meant for teachers in classrooms as ‘they [teacher] spent most of their time in the chair’ against the ethics of the profession.

An order issued by the director of school education last week said that teams visiting various schools in Hyderabad region had noticed that teachers “use most of their time by using chairs while teaching in classrooms”.

“It is non-professional behavior on their (teachers’) part — to spend most of their teaching time in chairs,” according to the order.

It said that teaching should be carried out by teachers on their feet, “moving with use of gestures and body language in the class. That will be a supporting factor in the teaching and learning process”.

The order asked all head teachers to “take out teachers’ chairs from classrooms with instructions to the teachers not to sit on any (other) chair as well (while teaching)”.

In the same order, the director of school education ‘strictly prohibited’ use of cell-phone by teachers in classroom.

“Teaching of schools have been found using cell-phones in classrooms, which is an improper and non-professional act on their part.

The order also warned of ‘strict action’ against teachers flouting the code of conduct.