EXCLUSIVE
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January 13, Shillong: The Meghalaya Education Department has made significant strides in curbing the issue of proxy teachers in the state with the introduction of the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) Attendance Application. Launched last year, the initiative has significantly enhanced accountability and improved attendance across schools in the state.
Swapnil Tembe, IAS, Director of School Education & Literacy and State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha (SEMAM), emphasized the department’s proactive measures to address this long-standing issue.
“We have already issued a very strong order against proxy teachers. Last year, we launched the TIMS app, which requires all teachers to mark their attendance. This is validated by the principal and uses geo-fencing, ensuring teachers are physically present in the school. When I joined, teacher attendance was around 9%, but by November-December last year, it had improved to 80-90%,” Tembe told Meghalaya News 24.
Highlighting the app’s impact, he added, “We identified cases where complaints about proxy teachers were reported, and appropriate actions were taken. Although some cases involved contractual teachers, where termination wasn’t applicable, the system has undoubtedly reduced the problem. Earlier, there was no reporting mechanism for teacher attendance, but now, with an 87% reporting rate, the issue has been significantly addressed.”
The TIMS Attendance Mobile Application has introduced real-time attendance tracking for teaching and non-teaching staff, backed by Geo-Fencing features to ensure data authenticity. Tembe also noted the additional field monitoring efforts, where officials visiting schools conduct cross-verifications, further ensuring compliance.
“There’s now considerable awareness and pressure on teachers to be present in schools. With consistent monitoring and discussions around this, we’ve observed a substantial improvement in accountability across the education sector,” he concluded.
This initiative marks a critical step in addressing teacher absenteeism, ensuring better governance, and enhancing the quality of education in Meghalaya’s schools.