Education Dept forms squads to check staff punctuality in schools

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 9

Expressing concern over the “thin attendance” of teachers in government-run schools, the Directorate of School Education, Jammu, has issued directions to constitute monitoring squads to check the punctuality of staff in the educational institutions.

Sources said the orders have been issued to all the concerned Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of Jammu division.

They said the initiative was taken after reports of “thin attendance” of staff in government schools, not only in far flung areas of the districts but even at institutions situated within the city and its immediate neighbourhood.

Sources claimed that the poor result of government schools in state board exams at secondary and higher secondary level have also been attributed to thin attendance of teachers in schools.

“It has been observed that attendance of staff in government schools is thin. All the Chief Education Officers of Jammu division are directed to constitute monitoring squads to check the punctuality/full presence of staff in schools,” stated a School Education Department circular.

As per data, Jammu district has a total of 1,602 government schools, including primary, middle and higher secondary schools, with an enrollment of 97,414. There are 16 education zones in the district.

CEO, Jammu, JK Sudan, told The Tribune that directions have been issued by the office of the Director School Education to constitute monitoring squads to check attendance of staff in government schools.

“Yes, the directions have been issued to constitute the squads to check presence of staff in all the schools,” Sudan said, adding that the Zonal Education Officers have also been involved in the process of constituting these squads.

“In fact, the monitoring squads have started visiting government educational institutions to check the punctuality/full presence of staff,” he added.

When asked whether the department had received any reports of absenteeism from government schools after the constitution of monitoring squads, the CEO said: “Till now, we have not received any complaint.”