Noida: District education department of Gautam Budh Nagar has decided to not pressure teachers to use mobile application ‘Prerna’ for marking their attendance. The state government has asked the administration to wait for digital tablets before making it strictly compulsory for teachers to use the application.
Prerna app will require principals and teachers to click three selfies a day to mark their presence in state-run government schools. The app was expected to bring about positive changes in government schools with the help of real-time updates of attendance, inspections and quality checks of midday meals.
There are 526 government-run primary schools with a total student strength of 85,500. The app will be made mandatory once the district procures 526 tablets, one each for each school.
“The procurement of tablets has already started. We are training teachers to use the application. Once we get the tablets, it will be mandatory for all teachers and principals to use the app,” Bal Mukund Prasad, district education officer, said.
Teachers have been agitating against having to use their personal phones for official work. The app was launched in Uttar Pradesh on September 5, which is celebrated as Teacher’s Day.
“The application has no feature to provide any relaxation to teachers even if any emergency takes place. The app has been launched but still there are many schools wherein even basic facilities like furniture, toilets, clean drinking water, etc are also not available,” Ashok Sharma, a member of the teacher’s protesting committee, had said.
{{/usCountry}}“The application has no feature to provide any relaxation to teachers even if any emergency takes place. The app has been launched but still there are many schools wherein even basic facilities like furniture, toilets, clean drinking water, etc are also not available,” Ashok Sharma, a member of the teacher’s protesting committee, had said.
{{/usCountry}}According to the officials, the new technology will reduce paper work of teachers leaving them with enough time pay attention on students. The basic education department will be able to maintain all the data related to teachers and students on the app. Officials will also be able to keep a track of students who will be absent for a long period.