Govt school teachers’ union oppose digital attendance, warns of protest
Teachers are instructed to provide their real-time attendance with location on the “Digitize Register” app on tablets provided to them by the government
Government primary school teachers in Noida and Greater Noida have boycotted the mandatory “digital attendance with location” rule of the Uttar Pradesh government, which came into effect on July 8, and the teachers’ union representatives said on Monday that they have submitted a list of their demands to the district administration and if these demands are not met, teachers will go on an indefinite protest.
Gautam Budh Nagar district has a total of 511 primary government schools with over 90,000 students on rolls and a total of 3,794 teachers, according to data available with the basic education department.
From July 8, a new regulation issued by Uttar Pradesh government’s state project director Kanchan Verma, mandates that all government school teachers mark their daily attendance digitally, in the tablets provided to them.
Teachers are instructed to provide their real-time attendance with location on the “Digitize Register” app on tablets provided to them by the government. However, since the rule came into effect, Gautam Budh Nagar district has recorded almost zero attendance from teachers.
“The teachers have boycotted the digital attendance system and the district recorded zero attendance over the last week, as well as on Monday. In order to hear the grievances of teachers and convince them to get on board, I have personally held meetings with school heads and teachers over the past week,” said Rahul Panwar, basic education officer, Gautam Budh Nagar.
Representatives of Uttar Pradesh Prathamik Shikshak Sangh (UPPSS), who submitted a memorandum to Pawar on Monday, argued that rules like this should apply to all government departments in the state and not teachers alone.
“Teachers are also state government employees; so when all state employees are not required to mark their attendance digitally, why is it being selectively imposed on teachers alone?” said Meghraj Bhati, principal of Tugalpur Primary School, Gautam Budh Nagar and Meerut division in-charge of the UPPSS.
Teachers also cited poor internet connectivity in villages as a hindrance in marking attendance online, besides problems with reaching school on time during the rainy season due to waterlogging and traffic jams.
“The government is treating us in a stepmotherly fashion, as government schools are in remote areas where during rainy season, teachers have to face several problems such as water logging to reach schools. Also, these schools are in remote villages, and we sometimes have no internet at all. The government should think of these aspects,” said Ashok Yadav, district president of teachers’ union Karmchari Sanyukt Sangharsh Morcha.
The morcha also submitted a memorandum at the district administration office in Surajpur on Monday.
Members of the teachers union have warned of a large protest if government does not heed their demands. “Teachers from all 511 government primary schools in the district are of the opinion that if their demands are not met, then they will sit on a protest on July 23. We have communicated this to the BSA as well,” said Praveen Sharma, district president, UPSS.
The education department has been making efforts to convince teachers to mark their attendance online. “As all officials work is in the process of being digitised, it is an important step for all. A tablet is also provided to each school teacher and training has also been provided to them on using the gadget. Our officials have also visited schools individually to convince teachers to mark attendance online,” said the BSA.