Teachers resent playing security guards

PARADIP: The decision of the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), which conducts the HSC examination,  to give question papers to teaching and non-teaching staff for safekeeping has not gone down well with them. The BSE took the decision to entrust them with the responsibility after theft of question papers forcing postponement of matriculation exam.At the direction of the Board authorities, Prasant Swain, Circle Inspector of Schools, Jagatsinghpur, has instructed all the centre superintendents to keep a round-the-clock vigil by engaging two teaching and two non- teaching staffers.The women teachers expressed concern over their security while doing night duty with non-teaching staff. They also said with ex-regular and Madhyama examinations on at six centres, night duty would be taxing. The Government should deploy security guards for the purpose instead, they said.Centre Superintendent of Girls High School, Jagatsinghpur, Pratima Dei said women teachers are feeling unsafe to do night duty. “I have sought the cooperation of authorities concerned to take necessary steps to deploy police personnel during night,” she added.Swain said instructions have been issued to all centre superintendents in this regard and stern action will be taken against those who do not abide by it.