Govt asks DCs to take school attendance, ensure punctuality of teachers

The state government has asked the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to take the attendance of the schools here on daily basis and ensure that all teachers attend the duties.
According to officials, the directions have been issued here recently by the divisional administration and the DCs have been asked to get the attendance of the schools from the concerned Chief Education Officers (CEOs).
“We have to submit the attendance on daily basis to the DCs,’’ said a CEO, on the condition of anonymity.
However, education department officials said even as the employee attendance in the government schools has increased now in comparison to what was reported at the beginning of the current unrest majority of the students are not turning up at the schools.
The attendance of the teachers was considerably low in the South Kashmir areas here, a senior government official said.
“Most of the schools remain shut in the areas of South Kashmir and in some zones only 10 percent schools are open. The staff strength has now increased in the schools in comparison to what was reported earlier. It is now 50 to 60 percent, but the students are not turning up in large numbers. Only 10-15 percent students attend the classes,’’ said a senior official of the education department.
He added that till the time government issues the dates for holding of the examination for the primary and elementary classes the schools will remain open.
In some education zones, the CEOs have asked the Zonal Resource Persons (ZRPs) and the Cluster Resource Persons (CRPs) to submit the attendance which is later being intimated to the concerned DCs.
In some schools the concerned Principal or the Head Master sends the list of employees who attend the office to the CEOs through any of his employees.
The ZRPs and CRPs, who are the senior teachers and masters designated in a particular education zone, have been told to communicate the attendance every day within one hour of the scheduled morning time of the opening of schools.
State government had earlier directed the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) to deduct the salaries of employees in case they fail to report at duties. Government has also withheld the salaries of teachers and other staffers of education department who have failed to attend the duties.
A senior government official said DCs are being kept informed about the attendance to ensure 100 percent attendance of the staff.
“The concerned DCs can take a view on whether an employee can be even suspended,’’ he said. The education department has also asked the CEOs to keep the concerned DCs informed about the number of employees who have received salaries.
Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla, Nasir Ahmad Naqash said a joint team of Tehsildars and ZEOs inspects the schools to authenticate the attendance which is being received by the concerned officials of the education department on daily basis.
“We are carrying out regular inspection of schools to ensure that the attendance in the schools picks up,’’ he said.