Bhagalpur's Congress MLA Ajit Sharma on Wednesday inaugurated a biometric attendance machine and CCTVs inside eight classrooms of Mirjanhat Plus Two Government High school here.

Under the project, Sharma's brainchild, government schoolteachers in Bhagalpur will put their fingers on biometric machines for attendance. Also, CCTVs have been installed inside classes V to XII (each class has one section) to record class activity, as teachers stand near blackboards.

At the inauguration on Wednesday, a representative of a teacher's body alleged the system was meant to harass teachers. Aniruddha Prasad Yadav, secretary of Jila Sikhshak Madhyamic Sangh, Bhagalpur, said: "Teachers are quite responsible. Such systems will lower their morale."

Sharma, however, said: "I have taken some measures to alleviate the common man's problems, be it roads, transport, drinking water and healthcare but my priority remains quality education in government schools." Towards this goal, he said, it was important to ensure proper attendance by staff. He said such systems are not covered in the education department's budget, but the school would arrange for it from its own funds and, if required, he would contribute from his MLA fund. "I will call on the education minister and request him to implement such systems in state government schools," he said.

Sharad Chandra Jha, headmaster of the school, said the management spent Rs 45,000 for installing biometric attendance system and CCTVs.

The plan is to initially install the systems in government high schools, of which Sharma is ex-officio president, but, later, ward councillors would be expected to ensure the same in primary and middle schools under their jurisdiction.

"All classroom activity would be recorded so that performances of teachers is evaluated by experts," Sharma said. "The government spends huge amount on schools but quality of education is deteriorating."

He said he was working on converting at least one school in each ward of his seat into a model school.

"The aim is to make them as good as any private English medium school where poor students can avail facilities as provided by the private schools," he said.

Dhirendhar Sharma, regional director of education and Phool Babu Choudhary, district education officer, who attended the function, said they would request higher authorities to implement the system in all Bihar schools.

GAUTAM SARKAR IN BHAGALPUR