Abusing the system: Abbottabad catches teachers playing truant
Recovers Rs994,706 from seven who had been drawing salaries without actually teaching.
ABBOTTABAD:
After monitoring government schools closely in an attempt to improve the quality of teaching and put an end to staff absenteeism, it seems the Abbottabad District Education Office has finally made some headway.
Internal investigation revealed at least 14 teachers had been withdrawing their salary without coming in to work. Some of these teachers have been absent from school for nine years.
Official sources said teachers were colluding with clerical staff in order to draw their salary. Some of the teachers, they added, were helped by their political connections.
Department officials have worked out a recovery amount of Rs2,094,909. They have already recovered Rs994,706 from seven teachers.
According to officials, many members of staff will now face disciplinary action. Four teachers have already been let go in the last three months.
Ten teachers from the district are under investigation and have been served final show-cause notices. They might also face termination, said an official.
DEO Samina Altaf Shah confirmed the developments. “Drastic measures are being taken to revamp the education system in Abbottabad.” Shah added, “Those teachers who are habitually absent from work will be taken to task irrespective of their political affiliations.”
Enrolment
Enrolment of girls has also gone up in the current academic year, said the district education office.
In 2013, the department enrolled 12,175 girls of school going age or achieved 40% enrolment. In the current academic year, enrolment has gone up to 80%. Many of the new students were girls who were either dropouts (out of school for at least the last two years) or had never attended school.
Officials stated the improvement in enrolment was a result of teachers’ efforts, community awareness and an improvement of facilities offered to the girls by the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2014.
After monitoring government schools closely in an attempt to improve the quality of teaching and put an end to staff absenteeism, it seems the Abbottabad District Education Office has finally made some headway.
Internal investigation revealed at least 14 teachers had been withdrawing their salary without coming in to work. Some of these teachers have been absent from school for nine years.
Official sources said teachers were colluding with clerical staff in order to draw their salary. Some of the teachers, they added, were helped by their political connections.
Department officials have worked out a recovery amount of Rs2,094,909. They have already recovered Rs994,706 from seven teachers.
According to officials, many members of staff will now face disciplinary action. Four teachers have already been let go in the last three months.
Ten teachers from the district are under investigation and have been served final show-cause notices. They might also face termination, said an official.
DEO Samina Altaf Shah confirmed the developments. “Drastic measures are being taken to revamp the education system in Abbottabad.” Shah added, “Those teachers who are habitually absent from work will be taken to task irrespective of their political affiliations.”
Enrolment
Enrolment of girls has also gone up in the current academic year, said the district education office.
In 2013, the department enrolled 12,175 girls of school going age or achieved 40% enrolment. In the current academic year, enrolment has gone up to 80%. Many of the new students were girls who were either dropouts (out of school for at least the last two years) or had never attended school.
Officials stated the improvement in enrolment was a result of teachers’ efforts, community awareness and an improvement of facilities offered to the girls by the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2014.