Chandigarh, September 14
As many as 764 teachers, of government schools, in Punjab will be chargesheeted for producing bad results in examinations conducted by various education boards. Orders in this regard were issued today.
Shockingly, 137 of these teachers are working in 26 schools where the result is nil and all students have failed. Another 627 teachers have produced results where less than 10 per cent of the students have passed.
Official sources confirmed today that orders were issued to charge sheet these teachers while adding that the number of such erring teachers would rise further once entire data was available.
Data from six districts — Mohali, Hoshiarpur, Muktsar, Sangrur, Ropar and Tarn Taran — was still incomplete, they said.
Once all information was available, more teachers from schools with bad results would be chargesheeted, a senior functionary told The Tribune on the condition of anonymity. The Punjab Government had asked the Education Department to take action against teachers who had not performed well.
The results of Class VIII, Class X and Class XII examinations conducted by various education boards were taken as a benchmark. Only the results of these classes have been taken into account for checking the erring teachers.
The Tribune had first highlighted how schools in Punjab had fared badly in the board examinations.
The department has adopted an approach wherein a charge sheet will be issued as a precurser to a major penalty for these teachers Upon receiving a reply to the charge sheet, a decision will be taken on the quantum of penalty.
There can be a dismissal if the teacher is consecutively producing no results. Other forms of penalties can be no increment and lowering of rank.
Separately, a “recordable entry” will be made in the service books of teachers who have produced results where 10 per cent of the students have passed but the result is less than the state average.
This is a part of an elaborate state-level exercise to punish the non-performers while appreciating the teachers who have done well.
The Punjab Government has decided to ensure accountability in the education system. A few weeks ago, Deputy Commissioners were asked to go to schools in their areas to keep a check on teachers and ensure that discipline was maintained.
Later, the Education Secretary, Mr Sarvesh Kaushal, visited schools and took classes himself to verify the standard of education. He found that some teachers had not been taking their work seriously.
Incidentally, just a few days ago, charge sheets were issued to about 700 government school teachers, who have been absent from duty for long periods ranging from five years to 20 years.
Most of these teachers are believed to have gone abroad and have not returned to join their duties.
