HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister and education minister Kadiyam Srihari warned teachers on Thursday that they will be suspended if they are caught using cell-phones in school. The use of cellphones has reportedly increased after network providers have started providing free Internet facilities and other such offers. The government had already directed school teachers not to use phones in school but it seems there are many that still do so. High school teachers in government schools were instructed to hand over their mobile phones to the headmaster after reporting to work and collect the phones once school is over.
Though most high schools follow this procedure, teachers in primary schools, which have fewer teachers and students, are not following the rule and are often busy on social media networks during school hours. Speaking at an event in Torrur and Peddavangara villages in Mahbubnagar on Thursday, the minister said teachers in government schools should be more responsible and warned that action will be taken against those who spend time talking over the phone during class hours. He said that Telangana government has started 550 government schools and will focus on quality education. Lakapathi Nayak, headmaster of Government High School in Huzurnagar, Suryapet district, welcomed the minister’s decision on cell phones.
"Our aim is to give quality education to the students. If teachers use cell-phones in the classrooms then delivering quality education will become difficult. I understand cell-phones are important in emergency cases, but any family member can call the headmaster in an emergency." Chava Ravi, state general secretary of the United Federation of Teachers, said the federation "totally supports" the order of the education minister. "Teachers are not supposed to use cell-phones in the classrooms and should surrender their cell-phones. They must show self-discipline.'' G. Rajashekhar, headmaster of the Zilla Parishad High School Peddamun-agala said, "This is a very good and welcome step taken by the government. We are not against strict action on teachers caught using phones."
