Teacher absenteeism: Education secretariat fails to install biometric system in schools

Education department announced it would go ahead with project, but later rescinded.

RAWALPINDI:

The provincial educational secretariat has failed to carry out the planned installation of biometric scanners in government schools to check teachers’ absenteeism. Almost two months back, the provincial education department announced it would install the system in every school, but now, according to sources, it has refused to go-ahead with the project, citing lack of funds.

The sources said that the secretariat has asked the schools administrations to buy the machines from their own funds.

A district education department official requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune that February was the deadline for installation of the machines.

“First the secretariat announced it would allocate funds, but later it backtracked and asked schools to pay to get the system installed themselves,” he said.

“Absenteeism is a serious issue and is currently between seven and nine per cent,” he said.

Recently, Education Executive District Officer Qazi Zahoorul Haq suspended teachers including headmasters for being absent from duties after he conducted surprise inspections at different schools.

Haq said that absenteeism was an issue, but according to him, the rate was only two or three per cent.

Haq said the installation of the biometric system was a pilot project being weighed by the provincial government and the district education department had nothing to do with it.

Meanwhile, teachers complained about the secretariat’s refusal to fund the project and push schools to pay out-of-pocket.

“What will such schools do where the nember of students is too low to arrange funds,” asked Punjab Teachers’ Union Provincial Secretary Rana Liaquat.

He said that schools have limited funds and most primary schools have only two or three teachers with less than 70 students.

“We have Rs15,000 in school funds. A biometric machine costs Rs50,000. How will we buy one?” asked Attaur Rahman, a primary school teacher.

Teachers also questioned that when furniture and fans from schools were disappearing from schools all the time, who will ensure that the machines are not stolen.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2014.