87 Patna School Teachers Found Absent During Inspection, Not to Get Salary of One Day

The authorities have ordered the deduction of a day’s salary for 87 teachers of government schools in Bihar’s Patna district, who were found absent during inspections in the last five days, a senior official said on Thursday.

The step was taken following a directive of Additional Chief Secretary (ACS- Education department) K K Pathak who has asked all district magistrates to conduct frequent inspections of government schools from July 1 and “immediately” deduct a day’s salary of those who would be absent without any valid reason.

There are 3,486 government schools in the district.

“The Patna district administration has ordered deduction of a day’s salary of 87 teachers of government schools. They were found absent during inspections carried out four times since July 1,” Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh told PTI.

Besides, the district administration has also recommended disciplinary action against the absentee teachers, Singh said.

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), an apex body of school education and teacher education and a wing of the Education Department, has also ordered the deduction of a day’s salary of its lecturers posted in Purnea and Darbhanga districts, for remaining absent during virtual meetings called by senior officials on July 5.

The district magistrate said, “Inspections, at least twice a week, are being conducted in all schools in Patna district after receiving a letter from the education department.” Of the 3,486 institutes, 487 were inspected on Wednesday and 10 teachers were found absent, said Singh who himself conducted the exercise in a few schools in the district headquarter town.

The education department recently issued a series of orders including frequent inspection of schools by the district authorities.

Besides, department officials of various ranks need permission directly from the ACS, if they were to travel outside their district headquarters, even for an appearance before a court.

The ACS also asked the district authorities to check the implementation of the mid-meal scheme, condition of toilets, and availability of drinking water during inspections in schools.