Ahmedabad: The controversy over "missing teachers" echoed in the Gujarat Assembly on Wednesday, the first day of the three-day session.
During the session, the house was informed that in the past three years, a total of 134 teachers were dismissed for unauthorised leaves.
State education minister Kuber Dindor informed that between 2019 and 2022, a total of 134 teachers were dismissed.
After the controversy broke a fortnight ago, the government dismissed 16 more teachers who were found to be absent without permission.
Last week, the government had said in a statement that "a total of 134 teachers have been given show cause notices and actions have been taken for their dismissal."
The government has defended that these teachers were not drawing salary as being reported.
Following reports of a Banaskantha-based teacher, who was found to be on government payroll despite having settled in the US nearly eight years ago, a number of similar cases surfaced. It was revealed that she was withdrawing the salary till January this year.
Forced to look into the matter, an inquiry found that at least 32 teachers had gone abroad while 31 were on unauthorized leaves.
During the session, Congress MLA Kanti Kharadi from Danta seat in Banaskantha, raised the question and asked about the number of teachers from his district and Patan were getting salary while living abroad and action taken against them. He also cited the case of the Banaskantha teacher who had settled abroad.
Dindor responded that 12 teachers in Banaskantha and seven in Patan were on unauthorised leave for six months but haven't been paid salary. He said that six of these teachers were dismissed on Tuesday while two have already sent their resignation.
Published 21 August 2024, 13:51 IST