Vidya Samiksha Kendra fails to track teacher absenteeism in Gujarat

Fifty trained educators monitor the attendance of 2.4 lakh teachers through a real-time online monitoring system installed at the Vidya Samiksha Kendra in Gandhinagar. Its operational efficiency is now being questioned, after a horde of teachers was found to be abroad on paid leave for months, which went unnoticed.

The recurring reports of absentee teachers in government schools have put students’ future at risk. This row gathered significant moss after a head teacher registered for the past eight years at the Panchha Primary School in Banaskantha was found to have immigrated to the US.

The Vidya Samiksha Kendra, established to share live data from its two monitoring rooms, boasts of being the first in the country to provide real-time online surveillance.

Moreover, it has a special provision to suspend teachers found to be absent for more than a year.

The database, including real-time online attendance, is sent to the chief minister’s dashboard.

State authorities in Gandhinagar can view teacher absenteeism at various schools. The education department or District Education Officer (DEO) is notified about such an occurrence from the monitoring room, allowing for alternative arrangements.

Despite extensive technology in place, the education department is accused of having taken no concrete action. It has been satisfied with merely issuing notices to absentee teachers.

The CMO also seemed to have overlooked it. Despite having access to the data, the CM’s dashboard is alleged to have shown utter negligence.

This negligence is being blamed for giving absentee teachers a free pass in the state to roam abroad at the cost of the children’s future.

In remote areas, where teachers are frequently absent, the education of students is severely compromised.