Designating teachers as nodal officers for dog sighting dumps municipal responsibilities on teachers: Faraz Ashraf

Kashmir Happenings

Posted by admin_kas on 2025-12-11 12:28:51 | Last Updated by admin_kas on 2025-12-12 00:56:19

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KS News Desk 

Baramulla, Dec 11: JK Peoples Conference youth leader Faraz Ashraf on Thursday said designating teachers as nodal officers for "Dog Sighting" incidents dumps the municipal responsibilities on teachers.

Reacting to the order issued by Chief Education Officer (CEO) Baramulla wherein all government and recognised Private Schools have been asked to nominate a “Nodal Officer” to prevent stray dog entry, protect students from dog attacks, supervise sanitation besides monitoring vulnerable areas and managing waste, securing boundary walls and coordinating with Municipalities and Panchayats.

"But this order shamefully dumps municipal responsibilities on teachers.

Stray dog control, sterilization drives, garbage management, campus safety & public-area monitoring are legally the duties of Municipal Committees and Urban Local Bodies not classroom teachers," Faraz Ashraf in a statement said.

He said teachers are already overburdened with non-teaching duties and asking them to act as dog-control supervisors is not a policy but administrative laziness and a clear failure of civic bodies.

"We strongly condemn this order as it insults the dignity of the teaching profession, exposes systemic mismanagement, and shifts blame instead of fixing the root cause," he said.

He said a society that cannot respect its teachers cannot progress.

"We urge the department to withdraw this misguided order and hold the Municipality accountable for it. Protect students without humiliating educators," he said.

Earlier, the litigation section of the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) in an official communication informed all the CEOs that Supreme Court Of India has issued explicit directions to the Administrative Department to ensure the safety and protection of students and staff from incidents of stray dog attacks within educational premises.

"In compliance with these directions, all Chief Education Officers shall immediately initiate necessary administrative measures in both Government and recognised private institutions under their jurisdiction," the official communication reads.

The CEOs have been asked to ensure that a Nodal Officer is nominated for each institution to supervise the up keeping, sanitation, and cleanliness of the school premises and shall also ensure that no stray dogs enter or remain within the campus and shall coordinate with local authorities wherever required.

"The Schools Heads shall conduct awareness programmes for students, teachers, and non-teaching staff on safety measures and responsible behaviour to prevent stray dog encounters," the official document reads.

"The HoIs shall also strengthen preventive mechanisms, including proper waste management, boundary checks, and regular monitoring of vulnerable areas within the school premises," it reads.

The DSEK has termed the matter urgent in terms of public safety and of direct concern to the welfare of children.

"All CEOs are requested to monitor the implementation strictly and furnish a consolidated Action Taken Report to this office within four days positively, without any fail," reads the official communication issued by the Directorate on November 19 of 2025.

In wake of this, CEOs of various districts have issued orders to DDOs to nominate the teachers as nodal officers to report incidents of dog citing, evoking criticism from stakeholders.

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