Teachers' photos on school walls to curb absenteeism, proxies

Adorning school walls with photographs of teachers is one of the ideas that the Centre is considering to fix the problem of teachers remaining absent from duty and sending proxies to do the job. Absenteeism among teachers, aided by use of proxies, has for long disrupted education in government schools, especially in rural areas.

"Many states are working on various ideas to check teachers' absenteeism from schools. Rajasthan has done something very interesting, putting photographs of teachers on school walls with 'our respected teachers' written under them," HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said in Parliament on Friday.

"Now, these are just photos of teachers in schools and not those of criminals in police stations, so nobody will have any problem. This idea can be replicated in other states as well," he said.

Ministry sources said that the government is keen on replicating the idea in government schools, especially in rural areas and places where teachers don't come to school for days but take salary.

"When there are photographs of teachers in schools, students and school administration will at least know the real teachers and fake ones. It should not be difficult for schools to implement the idea. Even if there are 10-15 teachers in a school, the photos won't take much space," said an official.

"Writing our respected teachers under the photographs will also evoke a sense of respect for them among students," he said.

Primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will also have photographs of teaching staff affixed on notice boards, a move that follows complaints of teachers remaining absent from duty and sending "proxies" for the job, a government circular said last month.

"The photographs will make the guardians aware of the identity of teachers. Thus, they will be in a position to raise an alarm if a teacher plays truant," said an official.