Bihar education department withdraws order curtailing holidays for school teachers on festivals

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Diwali, Durga Pooja, Raksha Bandhan, and others, according to a government order, reported ANI. In an interview with ANI, RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari said, "This is the government's decision. They must have thought to rethink their earlier decision." A circular issued by the Director of Secondary Education stated, "The holiday table issued for government/government-aided elementary and secondary/higher secondary schools under departmental order memorandum no.

2112 dated 29.08.2023 is cancelled with immediate effect." The initial announcement by the Bihar secondary education department to reduce teachers' holidays from 23 to 11 had sparked widespread outrage among teachers in the state, leading to threats of protests. Many teachers even wore black badges to classes in protest, and some openly challenged the Additional Chief Secretary of the education department, KK Pathak. However, many teachers pointed out that the attendance of students in those festive days would be negligible.

Criticism of the decision came from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well, which accused the Nitish Kumar government of cutting holidays on significant festivals like Rakshabandhan, Dussehra, Diwali, and Chhath. The education department had defended its decision, stating that it aimed to conduct classes for 220 days in an academic year, which led to the reduction in holidays. Earlier, a school teacher in Bihar's Khagaria district was suspended for making derogatory remarks against KK Pathak, the Deputy Chief Secretary of the Department of Education in Bihar.