TN conducts surprise checks at government schools to keep teachers neglecting duty in line

Last week a team of 102 officials swooped down on 99 government schools under the Annamalai block in Pollachi to check whether teachers were properly working. The drive conducted on Thursday spanned seven hours starting 8.30 am. This was a first-of-its kind inspection of government schools by Education department officials in the district. The well-concerted and coordinated inspection took school teachers by surprise.

According to a source, the action was prompted by a series of complaints from the parents and educationist that many primary school teachers in the hinterland were shirking from duty. The inspection was the brainchild of Chief Educational Officer (CEO) R Murugan, who devised the plan to conduct block-wise surprise inspection in government schools to find out about teachers’ activities. 

As part of the plan, messages were sent to the mobile numbers of Educational department officials at 5 pm on Wednesday to get ready for a mass surprise inspection in Aanaimalai block on Thursday. A list of schools to be inspected was also communicated. 

Accordingly, 102 officials, including the CEO, four District Educational Officers (DEOs), 22 Block Educational Officers (BEOs), 10 officials of Samagra Shiksha and 65 Block Resource Teacher Educators (BRTEs) reached the assigned schools before 8 am. 

An educational official said, “Officials inspected 99 government primary, middle, high and higher secondary schools. They checked whether teachers were coming on time. Prayer activities, how to teach primary students, teachers performance, students reading and writing skills,  club activities, school maintenance and audit report among other parameters were checked.”

“Many teachers reporting late to work were found. After the inspection, the officials prepared a report regarding the inspection and submitted it to the CEO. Later, a review meeting was held for school teachers at a private college in Pollachi. The CEO told them to lead the schools by example. Similarly, we will be sending a memo to teachers not working properly,” she said. 

When contacted, CEO R Murugan said, “During the inspection, we got a clear picture about the performance of schools. It will help us improve the school system. Surprise mass inspection would be conducted in other blocks as well.”