Teachers in Bihar's Sasaram Municipal Corporation get new duty: Counting dogs, says report

Sasaram Municipal Commissioner Vikas Kumar said the directive was issued in line with government guidelines.

• Sasaram schools told to appoint teachers to report stray dog data on premises
• Teachers express frustration over non-teaching duties like stray dog counting
• Delhi officials deny claims that teachers were tasked with counting stray dogs

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The Sasaram Municipal Corporation in Bihar issued an order directing all schools operating within the municipal limits to appoint a nodal officer, a teacher, to collect and share data related to stray dogs, according to a report by NDTV.

The designated nodal teacher will be responsible for providing information on the number of stray dogs present within and around school premises, their condition, and possible measures for their control. The NDTV report stated that the civic body is reportedly preparing to set up a dog pound as part of its plan to manage the stray dog population.

Sasaram Municipal Commissioner Vikas Kumar told NDTV that the directive was issued in line with government guidelines. According to him,  educational institutions were asked to provide details of nodal officers to help authorities gather accurate local-level information on stray dogs, which would assist in planning.

However, according to the NDTV report, the move has not gone down well with teachers. Many have expressed frustration and discomfort, pointing out that they are already routinely assigned tasks such as census work, BLO duties, and caste surveys, activities that have little to do with teaching.

Bihar's move comes after the Delhi Directorate of Education has approached the police following viral social media posts claiming that government school teachers were tasked with counting stray dogs. The department  dismissed the allegations as "misleading, false, and fabricated."

A formal complaint was filed at the Civil Lines police station, seeking action against social media handles accused of creating and amplifying a narrative.

The row erupted after posts and videos circulated online suggesting that teachers were being forced to count stray dogs on or near school grounds.

Meanwhile,  Delhi’s Education Minister on Tuesday strongly criticised former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks alleging that government school teachers were being deployed to count stray dogs.

The minister termed the claims “incorrect and misleading” and demanded a public apology, saying such statements distort facts and harm public confidence.

Delhi’s Education Minister Ashish Sood also strongly criticised AAP leader  Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks alleging that government school teachers were being deployed to count stray dogs.