LARKANA: Sindh’s Senior Minister for Education Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said the biometric system launched to monitor the absenteeism of teachers and verifying genuineness of their appointments would continue despite all odds.

Presiding over a meeting of education officers of Larkana division here at the commissioner office on Monday, he said those opposing the biometric system would be handled sternly.

Certain elements who did not want to see the system work had attacked the office in Larkana where it was installed and ransacked it. He said it would not be closed and the officers concerned were responsible for protecting the system.

Also read: Teachers protest as biometric system to check ghost employees put in place

He admitted: “We all are responsible for the present plight of education and with firm determination, we could improve it, but all stakeholders should play their due role. A few elements have defamed the education sector and we are criticised for their act.”

He said the biometric system would assist in identifying the ghost teachers while a transparent monitoring system would follow it to further assess the situation. He stressed the officers to increase their efforts in enhancing the enrolment and keeping update the birth and death register of children.

Briefing the minister on the health and education monitoring system established at the commissioner office, Larkana Commissioner Ghulam Akbar Leghari said that under the plan, specifically designed forms were initially given to the officers concerned for checking attendance of teachers in some specific schools.

A five-member committee was asked to complete the task within 15 days and the same report after verification by higher officers would be transmitted to the high-ups, he said. Initially teachers would be verified by their supervisors, the commissioner said.

He said mere suspension and stopping salaries would not work, therefore, the government was considering other punishments.

He said majority of primary and secondary teachers posted in middle schools were found irregular at their duties while the high school teachers were almost regular. He said the system would help remove shortfalls and lacunas gradually.

The minister later visited the health education monitoring system at commissioner office.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2015

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