Paucity of funds a constraint in biometric attendance for Pry, Middle Schools
Muhammad Adnan
Srinagar: Paucity of resources in government primary and middle schools is likely to prove a dampener for Education Department as these institutions do not have the resources to install biometric apparatus.
Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act-2009, the government offers free and compulsory education to all the students up to middle level.
Under this policy, the schools up to middle level do not generate any resources on account of admission fee, tuition fee or any other charges collected from students.
However, the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) are forcing primary and middle school heads to install biometric apparatus in their respective institutions.
The heads of the primary and middle schools however complained that it was not possible for them to install the biometric machines in the institutions due to non-availability of funds.
“It needs a good amount to install the machine in schools. Primary and middle schools have no resources to purchase the instrument,” one of the heads of the institutions said, wishing anonymity.
They said the funds and grants released to the schools are supposed to be utilised under particular heads and it was not possible for them to deviate from the utilisation of the money.
“Once we get funds or any grants we are strictly directed to use these funds for specific heads. Any deviation in that lands us in trouble. CEOs and ZEOs should understand the situation and issue their instructions accordingly,” he said.
Notably, the department has ordered for installation of biometric machines in the schools to ensure punctuality of teaching and non-teaching staffers.
Earlier the government had warned that no salary can be withdrawn by the government employee unless they do not get enrolled with a biometric attendance system.
Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Tasaduq Hussain Mir was not available for comments on the issue.
However, a top official said a meeting of the purchasing committee is scheduled in the coming days wherein the issue about installation of biometric apparatus in primary and middle schools will be taken up.
“The issue will be discussed in the meeting of the purchasing committee and decisions will be taken accordingly,” the official said.
KV News
