N Dinajpur to launch biometric attendance for primary teachers
Raiganj: The North Dinajpur district administration is on the brink of a pioneering move by introducing a biometric attendance system for primary school teachers, marking the first ever implementation of such a system across Bengal. This initiative, spurred by frequent reports of irregular teacher attendance, aims to enhance accountability and ensure consistent teacher presence in schools.
According to district officials, the biometric attendance will operate via an app installed on teachers’ smartphones. Teachers will be required to log their attendance through this app, which also features GPS tracking to monitor their location during school hours. The new system, however, has received a mixed response from educators. While some teachers welcome the measure as a progressive step to boost educational standards, others express concerns about its feasibility.
Nirmal Bose, Secretary of the North Dinajpur unit of the All Bengal Primary Teachers’ Association, said: ”Mobile networks are unavailable in certain parts of the district. There are areas where mobile connectivity is extremely limited. Teachers are already struggling to send mid-day meal reports via mobile apps due to poor internet access. It’s crucial to first improve internet infrastructure across the district before rolling out the biometric attendance system.”
On the other hand, Gauranga Chauhan, president of North Dinajpur unit of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Primary Shiksha Cell, stated: “The district administration’s decision is aimed at the betterment of the educational system and we fully support this step towards increased accountability.”
Dulal Chandra Sarkar, district Inspector of Schools (Primary), said: “There are numerous documented complaints regarding the attendance of primary school teachers. Additionally, local residents have raised allegations of irregular attendance. The introduction of this biometric app aims to address these issues by making attendance tracking more efficient and transparent. The process for the collection of biodata of the teachers and app registration has commenced for the introduction of this system.”
