Protest against online attendance: Only 2 pc U.P. teachers follow govt order on Day 1
In Uttar Pradesh, only 2% of government teachers marked online attendance despite protests against the digital system, with thousands hitting the streets.
Amid widespread protest against the Basic Shiksha Parishad move to make teachers’ attendance digital, only 2 percent of total 6.09 lakh government teachers and “shiksha mitras” (para teachers) marked their attendance online on the first day of its implementation in the Uttar Pradesh on Monday.
This means out of 6.09,282 lakh teachers, only 16,015 marked their attendance. Out of state’s 75 districts, in 14 places hardly a teachers marked their attendance online. In Shahjhanpur (10,194 teachers), Pilibhit (5,899) and Sant Kabir Nagar (4,819), not a single teacher marked their attendance.
In Bareilly, out of 11,934 teachers, only one teacher followed the government order. In Rampur, out of 6,810 teachers, only 2 and in Maharajganj only 9 teachers marked attendance out of 7,293 teachers.
In Bahraich, out of 11,282 only 20 teachers digitally punched their attendance using government tab, in Gonda only 23 teachers marked attendance out of 10,832, in Gorakhpur out of 12,519 teachers, only 52 marked their attendance, Unnao has 12.229 teachers out of which only 56 followed the order.
There are 24 districts where only 1 percent teachers marked attendance. In 13 districts, only 2 percent teachers followed the order, 11 districts are such with 3% attendance, while four districts saw 4 percent marking attendance. Only Bhadohi saw maximum response where 14% teachers digitally marked their attendance.
After their protest in social media by trending #boycottonlineattendance, thousands of government teachers across the state hit the roads against introduction of their online attendance with live location. They alleged that government should first accept their “genuine demands” before implementing the system.
Teachers in large numbers gathered in Shahjahanpur district against the move. In Sambhal, a memorandum was given to the DM office. Massive protests were seen in Kanpur Dehat, Chandauli, Bareilly and many other districts.
To oppose online attendance order, district units of Rashtriya Shikshak Mahasangh Uttar Pradesh submitted memorandum addressed to the CM to the DMs in all districts, teachers body claimed.
Their main demands are: Half day leave should be given like it is provided to other state employees, 30 earned leave should be given to them like state employees or PL like college teachers. Compensatory leave should be give like other departments. Basic shikshak adhikari should be given the right to relax online attendance in case of adverse weather and participation in departmental events.
They want clear guidelines of alternative arrangements in case of server crash. They also demand that pen and paper attendance should be introduced like other departments. One of the teacher leaders Ajit Singh termed director general, school education, UP, Kanchan Verma’s order to digitise/give online attendance of registers from July 8 a ‘Tughlaqi decree’.
Representative of one of the teachers’ groups Shiv Shankar Singh said the system is being implemented only in the basic education department. “Due to this, the teacher community of the entire state is feeling insulted and cheated,” he claimed.
“There is widespread anger among the teachers towards the government and the department,” said Virendra Mishra, the state spokesperson for teachers’ body.
By wearing a black band on their arms, thousands of government schools’ teachers across U.P. registered a symbolic protest. At Jiamau primary school, Lucknow, several teachers discharged duty with black band on their arms.
On Sunday, thousands of teachers of government primary and upper primary schools launched an online attack on the Basic Shiksha Parishad move to make teachers’ attendance digital. “We are aware of your problems; you can mark your attendance after 30 minutes,” basic education department X handle post read.
