Guest teachers’ selection under scanner in Haryana

CHANDIGARH - Haryana’s school education department Monday announced that it has started scrutinizing irregularities in guest teacher selections.

An education department spokesman said that cases have come to light in Faridabad district where selections were made without following due procedure and some appointments were made in 2008 when a total ban on appointments was in force.

He said that the department has directed removal of all guest teachers appointed after enforcement of the ban and also of those guest teachers who were appointed without following due procedure or those who do not have proper qualifications.

He said that explanation of the then district education officers (DEOs) and principals has been called.

In 2006, with a view to ensure that studies of the students did not suffer due to shortage of teachers, the department had authorised heads of institutions and department officials to assess the shortfall of teachers keeping in view the enrolment of students and engage teachers as guest faculty wherever the enrolment rate necessitated the provision of faculty.

“The objective of the policy was to ensure that the studies of children did not suffer,” the spokesman said.

Currently, 16,047 guest teachers are working in government schools in the state.

The spokesman said that in the light of major irregularities in appointments of guest teachers, all the district education officers have been directed to scrutinise all appointments, including the educational qualifications of these guest teachers.