New Delhi: The Economic Survey has recommended that biometric tracking of teachers’ attendance be introduced in government primary schools and the data monitored by parents and local communities.
The Survey has cited the low-learning outcome of children in government schools and linked it to teacher absenteeism and shortage of professionally qualified teachers.
According to the UNESCO- EFA (Education For All) Monitoring Report for 2014, teacher absenteeism in India varies between 15 per cent (in Maharashtra) and 42 per cent (in Jharkhand).
"An option to address teacher absenteeism that can be explored is biometric attendance of all teachers in primary schools for each scheduled class/lecture/ session/distinct from the present system, where it is morning and evening to ostensibly record arrival and departures with little control on the activities during the working hours," the Economic Survey 2016-17 said.
The recommendation has come at a time the government is increasingly using Aadhaar-based authentication – it involves biometric data – for delivery of subsidy, scholarships and monitoring of enrolment data of children in schools.
The National University of Educational Planning and Administration, which compiles student enrolment data, has asked states to direct schools to provide the Aadhaar numbers of each student for its database.
Please click here to read more.