Haryana bans govt school teachers from taking cell phone to classrooms

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Thursday barred school teachers from stepping inside the classrooms with mobile phones and decided to hold head of the school “accountable” for violation of this norm.

There are about 25 lakh students in the government-run schools, from primary to plus two, across the state, while over 90,000 teachers are posted in these schools.

“Henceforth, no teacher will be allowed to take along mobile phone to the classroom,” Virender Singh, joint secretary (school education) told Hindustan Times.

He added, “In case any substantive complaint is received from students or general public that the latest guidelines are being violated in any campus, then the head of that school will be held squarely accountable.”

This restriction of going to the classroom without mobile phones also applies to the head of school. The education department has directed that all inspecting officers, whether on regular inspection or surprise inspections, will check whether these instructions are being followed in letter and spirit.

“In case of any violation, action against the head of school will be proposed by the inspecting officer,” reads the letter containing the eight-point guidelines.

Earlier, the government had issued an advisory, but that was not specific. Now, it has issued specific instructions to curb misuse of the mobile phone during teaching hours on the grounds that the mobile phones have “emerged as the single gadget which has started consuming class time of some teachers.”

MOBILE PHONES HAMPERING ACADEMICS

Complaints were pouring in about teachers taking mobile phones to classrooms. This practice was on the rise and hampering the academic improvement of schools. “It needed to be checked,” said Virender Singh, who has issued detailed guidelines about the use of mobile phones in schools.

He said social media or other entertainment scopes of mobile phones hardly contribute anything towards the syllabus.

Teachers will keep mobile phones in the staff room or in an area earmarked by the head of school.

However, in case of unavoidable reasons the teacher has to take mobile phone to the classroom for “academic use” then prior permission of the head of the school is must. The teacher will have to write the reason(s) in a register that will specially be maintained for this purpose.

If anyone wants to reach out to the teachers in case of emergency, the head of the school will make available two contact numbers, the guidelines say.

PRINCIPALS WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR NONCOMPLIANCE; SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE TWO NUMBERS TO CONTACT TEACHERS IN CASE OF ANY EMERGENCY