On the first day of the Gujarat Assembly’s monsoon session on Aug 21, the issue of absentee teachers was raised.
Responding to that, Education Minister Kuber Dindor stated, “60 teachers are on foreign trips, while 70 teachers have been absent for more than three months.” The minister also claimed that no absentee teacher has been paid a salary.
The opposition demanded strict action against teachers who are frequently absent and travelling abroad, alleging that teachers in government primary schools, as well as in granted secondary and higher secondary schools, are drawing salaries while staying abroad.
During a short-duration question session, Congress MLA Kanti Kharadi alleged that, despite informing the District Education Officer (DEO) about the teachers who are consistently absent in Danta, no action has been taken.
He further stated that not only the teachers who are compromising the future of students but also the responsible officers in the DEO’s office should face action.
Dindor replied, “In Banaskantha district, 12 teachers from government primary schools and 7 teachers from Patan are not receiving salaries. Out of the 12 absentee teachers from Banaskantha, action has been taken against six, and they have been removed from their duties according to the rules. Two teachers have voluntarily resigned.
“At a time when the online attendance of teachers is being monitored by the Vidya Samiksha Kendra, information about unauthorised absence of teachers from 2019 to 2022 was collected, and action was taken. A total of 134 teachers, who were absent without authorisation or on foreign trips, have been dismissed from duty.
“So far, 10 teachers have been suspended, and further action will be taken against other absentee teachers according to the rules.”