Samajwadi Party member Ram Gopal Yadav, on March 25, sought exemption of primary school teachers from the mid-day meal schemes and election duties, saying it hampers studies.

He also batted for the appointment of a clerk in each primary school to take care of the mid-day meals and other administrative work. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, he said that the situation in the government primary schools is getting worse by the day. There are only two or three teachers in these schools of which one is involved in the management of the mid-day meals and other such things, Yadav said.

"The entire burden of teaching then rests on one or two teachers who are not unable to teach the students properly. In today's scenario, one cannot afford to send his or her child to private schools," Yadav added. The majority of the children enrolled in government schools are from the financially weak background and so, to improve the education quality of these schools, the government needs to appoint a clerk in each school so that the teachers can concentrate on teaching students, he said. 

Deputation of teachers on election duties also hampers teaching. Therefore, the teachers must be exempted from election duty as well, he added.