Revanth Orders Biometric Attendance In Govt School
The CM ordered that facial recognition be made mandatory for students and teaching staff in schools, professional colleges, and universities to improve attendance and ensure transparency.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has ordered education department officials to introduce the mandated facial recognition attendance system for students and teaching staff in all state-run schools and colleges, including professional colleges.
Emphasising that facial recognition would improve attendance and eliminate shortcomings in educational institutions, the Chief Minister directed officials to provide better teaching facilities by improving infrastructure from schools to universities.
At a high-level review of the education department here on Friday, the Chief Minister pointed out that other departments were constructing additional rooms, kitchens, urinals, toilets, and guard houses for the education department, which was not ideal for the development of the education sector. He said the quality standards of structures, construction supervision, funding, and accountability should be monitored by a single department.
To ensure this, Revanth Reddy ordered officials to bring the construction of all educational institutions under the purview of the Education and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation (EWIDC), which is already supervising the construction of Young India Integrated Residential Schools. Required engineers and other staff will be taken on deputation from other departments for the corporation.
Reviewing the status of pending payments, the Chief Minister instructed officials to clear the outstanding mid-day meal scheme bills through the green channel without delay. Pending sanitation-related bills in schools under Amma Adarsha Schools should also be cleared immediately.
The officials were directed to expedite the construction of urinals and toilets in women’s colleges and girls’ schools, and to establish container kitchens equipped with solar panels for cooking.
Revanth Reddy said physical education teachers (PETs) should be recruited on contract if necessary. The appointment of female counsellors to advise girl students in welfare gurukul schools on various issues was also discussed.
The Chief Minister emphasised that expenditure on the education sector should be considered an investment rather than an expense. Since more than 90 per cent of students studying in government educational institutions belong to BC, SC, ST, and minority communities, the Chief Minister ordered officials to prepare a report on the details of students who have studied in government institutions over the last 10 years.
Chief Minister’s adviser Vem Narender Reddy, Chief Minister’s special secretary B. Ajith Reddy, Chief Minister’s OSD Vemulu Srinivasulu, principal secretary (education) Yogita Rana, TSCHE chairman Prof. Balakishta Reddy, technical education commissioner Sridevasena, and school education director Naveen Nicholas participated in the review meeting.
