A scandal has erupted in Almaty after a teacher posted a video of herself washing windows at school, claiming that educators are being forced to clean premises before the start of the academic year. According to her, refusing such work could lead to a reduction in teaching load. An inspection has already been launched at the school, reports infohub.kz.
The woman said teachers are compelled to come to work as early as August to prepare classrooms for the new school year. The footage shows her washing a school window herself. The teacher asserts that if she refuses this work, the administration may impose sanctions, such as reducing her teaching hours. She also mentioned that in the past, teachers had to contribute their own money for school repairs.
After the publication "Kursiv" contacted the Almaty Education Department, a special monitoring group was created and dispatched to the school. The department stated: "As part of the inspection, a survey of the teaching staff and administrative and maintenance personnel will be conducted to clarify all circumstances and verify information about the possible involvement of teachers in work not stipulated by their job duties." They promised to report the results and any measures taken later. The head of the education department has taken personal control of the situation.
It is worth noting that in Kazakhstan, the issue of protecting teachers from duties not related to their profession has been raised at the state level multiple times. The Law "On the Status of the Teacher" imposes restrictions on involving teachers in types of work that do not fall within their professional responsibilities. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has also repeatedly demanded respect for teachers' rights and that they not be distracted from their primary work.