A state school teacher in Atyrau said she was forced to do classroom renovations, cleaning, and other domestic chores. According to the teacher, she did some of these tasks herself because she wanted to get the classroom in order for her pupils.
HOW THE SITUATION DEVELOPED
According to a user of the social network Threads, the classroom was in poor condition, which is why the teacher decided to take on its renovation.
According to the woman, over the course of a week she washed the floors, dusted, and whitewashed the walls, noting that this was only part of the work she carried out.
At the same time, according to the teacher, she continued to receive additional requests. In particular, she was asked to wipe dust off the light fittings. The teacher refused, since carrying out that task would have required using a stepladder and handling electrical appliances.
WHAT THE TEACHER SAID
In the post, the teacher stressed that she wants to work specifically as a teacher and is engaged in professional development, preparing pupils for competitions and exhibitions. She also pointed out that her pupils have achievements and victories.
“I am not refusing to work. I am refusing to do work that is not part of my profession and is potentially unsafe,” she wrote.
According to the author of the post, the issue arose not only because of the volume of domestic work, but also because, in her view, such duties are not connected to the work of a teacher.
WHAT IS SAID IN THE DISCUSSION
In the comments, users cited the Law “On the Status of Teachers”. One participant in the discussion pointed to Article 6 of the law and wrote that the employer must provide the teacher with conditions for professional activity, and that involving a teacher in work unrelated to their professional duties is prohibited.
Another user said that a separate violation may occur when teachers are forced to buy paint, building materials, or household goods with their own money.
CONTEXT
This case is particularly notable against the backdrop of a recent incident in Petropavlovsk.
On 29 July, two members of the technical staff at the specialised Kazakh school-gymnasium named after Abai sustained serious injuries during cosmetic renovation work. The women fell from scaffolding while painting walls in the sports hall.
The injured women were 54 and 57 years old. One of them suffered a traumatic brain injury, an open fracture, and multiple injuries to her limbs. The other was diagnosed with compression fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine.
After the incident, the police launched a pre-trial investigation into the possible violation of occupational safety rules.
At the same time, the school's management said that the technical staff had carried out the renovation voluntarily.
