Mumbai: Several Maharashtra teachers’ groups have opposed the state education department’s decision to mandate 50 per cent attendance for them. On Thursday, the Maharashtra education department had released Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for teachers and made 50 per cent attendance compulsory for teachers.
According to a Hindustan Times news report, several teachers’ groups wrote to the education department on Friday urging officials to withdraw the attendance rule.
“Schools are shut, and teachers are imparting online education to students on a daily basis. The department has also planned to gradually reopen schools for students. So, what is the need to call teachers to school at this point?” asked Anil Bornare from BJP teachers’ cell.
Moreover, according to several principals from BMC Schools, civic body officials have also asked them to click photographs of attendance on a daily basis as proof of teachers coming to the school.
Likewise, teachers too have to visit various localities and teach students as per their needs.
“Teachers travel from all parts of the city and come to school and now with restrictions on travel they will have to shell out huge sums from their pockets to come thrice a week. Besides that, schools do not have the necessary infrastructure for online learning. Conducting online classes with so many issues is a big hurdle,” one of the school principals said.