Bengaluru: Concerned over rampant use of mobile phones by government school teachers during school hours, the education department has issued a circular calling for its ban.
Issued a week ago, the circular stated that any government school staff using mobile phones during school hours and on the premises will face punishment. It has put the onus on head master or head mistress to impose the rule, failing which they will also face action.
A senior officer from the education department, on condition of anonyminty, said, “A couple of years ago, we had issued a similar circular but it was not effective and not put to proper use. We got several complaints about the teachers using mobile phones during class hours. They attend or make calls in front of the students in the classroom.”
Citing one instance he said, “A teacher would ask the students to do whatever they want, but remain silent, and she would be on the phone for the entire period. The syllabus could not be completed on time and the students had to attend extra classes. We do not want any such thing happening and mobile phones are a huge distraction,” added the officer.
The officer mentioned that now they have asked the students to raise a complaint to the Block Education Officer (BEO) about the teachers using phone in the classroom.
“The identity of the complainant will be kept confidential. Both the teacher and the headmaster or headmistress will be questioned and action will be taken against them. It is time that ban on mobile phone is made effective, as it is affecting the teaching process,” he said.
He felt encouraging students to lodge complaints will help curb this menace.
