Bhubaneswar, Jan. 30: A siksha sahayika appointed to teach at a government upper primary (UP) school in Jagatsinghpur since 2006 was found to be living in Bhubaneswar.
She would visit the school once a month to sign the attendance register, an inquiry revealed. The headmistress of the school had even roped in a former bank employee and was paying him a salary of Rs 1,000 per month to take classes instead of the teacher concerned.
It was also found that despite being on leave from July 2 to August 31, 2007, there were signatures on the attendance register from August 1 to 31 that year.
The incident came to light after an inquiry was conducted at Gopal Upper Primary School, Saramboo in Jagatsinghpur.
While the erring siksha sahayika, Kabita Nanda, has been disengaged from duty, the headmistress, Ahalya Mohanty, has been transferred to another UP school as an assistant teacher. The sub-inspector of schools (SI) and the BRCC block research centre coordinator concerned have been demoted.
The two have been reverted to teaching posts and disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against them.
In yet another incident, a siksha sahayika in Kendrapara’s Argal Shashan nodal UP school in Aul block was found not reporting for duty for the past few years without any leave application. She was traced to Delhi.
The woman, Chandrakanta Nayak, was found working for a private firm in the capital.
While Nayak has been disengaged from duty, disciplinary action has been initiated against the SI of schools for not having reported the matter to his senior officials.
Yet another siksha sahayika Madhusmita Tripathy from the Amrit Manohi primary school in Bhadrak has been disengaged from duty for not attending classes regularly, but signing the register at the end of the month.
Four more persons, including the headmaster of the school, B.K. Jena, have been suspended.
All the proceedings have been taken following a departmental inquiry into the incidents. The complaints were received at the school and mass education department’s grievance cell.
