Archive · 4 Sep 2026
Teachers Face Heavy Non-Academic Work Alongside Teaching
Teachers do more than teach lessons in classrooms.
They are also sometimes assigned other jobs by authorities.
The article says these extra duties can leave teachers tired and unable to teach as well.
It argues that teachers are often not asked for their opinions about these responsibilities.
Some teachers reportedly worked for 11 hours on SIR duties during the COVID-19 period.
After that work, they still had to go to school and teach children.
The problem became harder because mid-term examinations were approaching.
The article says teachers should be treated as skilled professionals whose time and well-being matter.
School teachers are described as handling substantial non-teaching responsibilities alongside classroom instruction.
The article says these duties undermine teachers’ professional identity, autonomy, and participation in decisions affecting them.
Decision makers, bureaucrats, and experts are criticized for imposing tasks without sufficiently understanding teachers’ working conditions.
Newspapers reportedly described teachers working 11-hour shifts on SIR duties during the COVID-19 period.
Teachers reportedly reached schools exhausted as these duties coincided with approaching mid-term examinations.
- Who
- School teachers.
- What
- They are handling non-academic duties in addition to teaching, including reported SIR responsibilities.
- When
- During the COVID-19 period and as mid-term examinations approached.
- Where
- At schools and during assigned SIR duties; the specific location is not stated.
- Why
- The article says authorities assign these responsibilities, while criticizing decision makers for overlooking their effects on teachers’ workload and autonomy.
- Main issue
- The amount of non-academic work assigned to school teachers.
- Reported workday
- Newspapers reportedly described teachers working 11 hours during SIR duties.
- Additional pressure
- The duties coincided with approaching mid-term examinations.
- Reported effect
- Teachers reached schools exhausted, with little capacity to teach.
- Professional concern
- The article says such assignments undermine teachers’ professional identity and autonomy.
- Decision-making criticism
- Authorities are criticized for making decisions about teachers without giving them a meaningful say.