Punjab Teachers Spending Too Much Time On Facebook, Says CM Badal

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BATHINDA – Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, in a communication to the Director General of School Education (DGSE), has sought action against teachers spending time on social networking sites such as Facebook and Whatsapp on their mobile phones during school time.

The Chief Minister’s reaction came in context of feedback from school principals complaining that teachers, particularly new recruits, were openly using their mobile phones while taking classes.

Kanwaljit Majithia, Principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Jethuwal (Amritsar), said: “A strict disciplinary action against defaulters is the only way to check such practices.”

Quoting the communication from the CM’s office, the outgoing DGSE, GK Singh, has instructed all school heads and district education officers to adhere to the rules and take action against erring teachers.

A principal of a government school in Bathinda district said: “Instead of asking principals to take action, the Education Department should constitute flying squads. Social networking during working hours has become a nuisance. The inspection teams should check the usage timings on the mobile phones of teachers and initiate disciplinary action.”

A teacher of a senior secondary school in Ludhiana said: “The matter has given another reason to critics of government schools to target teachers. The department had recently initiated action against teachers who did not attend schools regularly or were absent for a long time.”

A senior department official said: “Strict action must be initiated against defaulting teachers. While principals are trying to protect their staff, villagers have come out openly against those using mobile phones during school time. They have brought the matter to the notice of the Chief Minister during his sangat darshans.”