Educators from Kostanay were escorted to a beach to fulfill their obligations
Kostanay's Beach Patrol: Teachers Stepping In, But Is It Legal?
In the heart of Kostanay, reports Alau.kz, educators have taken to patrolling the city's beaches as lifeguards following the tragic drowning of a schoolboy. Despite warnings from the ministries of labor and education, this unconventional decision, made by the city’s Akim Marat Zhundubayev, has sparked controversy.
Marat Zhundubayev believed that involving educators in beach patrols would enhance water safety. However, the education department swiftly clarified that teachers are not obligated to serve as lifeguards. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection voiced concerns, intimating that appropriate measures would be taken if the Akim's order was carried out.
Undeterred, teachers like Yerlan Uskenbayev, a physics teacher, have taken on the responsibility. Uskenbayev explained that teachers are given the opportunity to take a day off to patrol the beach during the students' exams, making it feasible for him to contribute. Teachers work in three shifts from 11:00 to 21:00, with the responsibility rotating every few hours.
Despite the minimal legal concerns, Marat Zhundubayev remains convinced that educators' rights aren't being violated in this case. He emphasized that these additional jobs, such as summer camps, don't involve swimming, which is likely to appease any concerns raised by labor laws. Lifeguards also conduct patrols, but they cannot cover the entire territory, according to the Akim.
This isn't the first time that questions have been raised about the role of teachers in non-educational activities. Previously, the Ministry of Education warned against the misuse of teachers in specific events, citing an incident in Semey where a teacher suffered severe injuries after falling from a height while decorating a Christmas tree. Consequently, the city’s education department head and the three school directors who allowed their teachers to participate in the decoration received severe reprimands.
Read also:
- Teachers Patrolling Beaches: Will Kostanay Face Penalties for Disregarding the Education Department?
- Summer Job Woes: Kostanay Akim's Controversial Teacher Engagement Plan Fails to Gain Support
Note:
While there is no concrete evidence suggesting that involving teachers in beach patrols is an established practice in Kazakhstan, it's essential to address the potential legal and social implications. In many legal systems, employing teachers in duties outside their defined job responsibilities could raise questions about labor rights and contract violations, and might face resistance from teachers, unions, and the public. It's crucial to review policies regarding the use of educators in unconventional roles to ensure the protection of their rights and wellbeing.
Teachers' involvement in the unconventional role of beach policing in Kostanay has spurred debates over education-and-self-development and politics, raising concerns about the potential violations of labor rights and contract agreements. The controversy revolves around teachers serving as lifeguards, a decision made by the City’s Akim, despite warnings from the ministries of labor and education.
In the midst of the ongoing discussion, the school director's decisions regarding teachers participating in non-educational activities, such as beach patrols, may impact general-news headlines in the future as the unexplored territory of this practice unfolds.
