Teacher promotions should be based on performance and capacity: Madras HC

Chennai: The Madras high court has said the assessment of performance and merit in teaching capacity and work performances must be the criteria for granting further promotions and further service prospects.

“Suitable amendments in Rules are required in this regard, especially in respect of the teachers working in government schools”, said Justice S.M.Subramaniam while disposing of a petition from a teacher, challenging the introduction of Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System in government schools.

The judge said the teaching performance, regular attendance, the talent in teaching and the merit level are all to be assessed and based on such assessment, the promotions and other prospects are to be provided. It must be merit cum seniority and it should never be seniority alone. Unless such drastic measures are taken by the government, it may not be possible to provide better education to the children, studying in government schools by improving standards in the government schools, the judge added.

The judge said it was more unfortunate to record that the people in general were not having any respect or trust on the government schools. The parents were not interested in sending their children to government schools. The reasons were to be certainly looked into by the government and appropriate measures were to be taken. When the government was spending huge amount for the development of the government schools, and if such an opinion was allowed to continue against government schools, then the state also failing in its duty to implement the constitutional perspectives, the judge added.