Kendrapara: The school and mass education department has taken to task teachers who closed schools before the scheduled time.

As many as five schools were found closed during inspection by authorities.

The closure hour of the school is 12noon. But the schools were locked up at 10am, an official said.

Because of the annual examination schedule, classes are now being held from 6am. The closing hour of the primary and upper primary schools has been fixed at 12noon.

"Once the examination is over, teachers were directed to conduct daily classes following the time table. However the department was in receipt of a series of complaints of schools violating the direction," said district education officer Udaynath Majhi.

To detect the alleged lapses, the department conducted surprise checks.

Irregularities were detected during inspection with five schools found closed well before the scheduled time. Five schools in Garadpur blocks were locked up between 10am and 10.30am.

The headmasters and teachers of these schools have been served show-cause notices and their salaries held up till further orders, said Majhi.

Cases of unauthorised absenteeism were also detected during the course of inspection.

More than 50 teachers were found absent in the schools without submission of the mandatory leave applications. Their salaries have also been held up and show-cause notices served against them, he said.