The Education Department of Delhi Government in a written response to the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) has allegedly said the teachers can’t leave their classes to go for Juma (Friday) prayer during school hours as it would harm the interest of students.
DMC chairman Zaraful Islam Khan said the Education Department of the Delhi Government had in a written response stated that rules can’t be relaxed and teachers have to reach school by 12.45 pm for classes which begin at 1 pm.
He said the Education Department in reply stated that Muslim teachers “can’t leave their classes” and go for Juma prayers on Friday, as it would “harm the interests of students”.
Earlier, teachers had approached the Commission with a request to allow them to go for prayers on Friday, after which it had sought a response from the Education Department and the three municipal corporations on the issue.
Khan told that the response from the municipal corporations was still awaited.
“The teachers told us that there is a Union Home Ministry order of 1954 which says that employees can go for prayers after foregoing a certain amount from the salary. We have written to the Home Ministry to know whether the rule is still applicable,” Khan said. According to Khan, the response from the Home Ministry is yet to come.