Nayagarh: At a time when School and Mass Education (S&ME) department is conducting verification of certificates of teachers, action taken against the fake teachers is a far cry, even as complaints of over 500 fake teachers working in Nayagarh district have come to the fore. The department had recommended action against some fake teachers June 8, but no action has been taken till date.
Reports said hundreds of teachers are still serving in the district, but they are allegedly being protected. Some officials are reportedly not maintaining transparency in verification of certificates. It was alleged that over 500 teachers have got jobs by submitting forged certificates in eight blocks and five civic body areas. The number of fake teachers is high in Nayagarh, Odagaon, Nuagaon, Dasapalla and Ranpur blocks.
There are instances of teachers having two certificates in one academic year and getting promotion too. Though complaints have been made against these teachers in different times, no action is being taken. Here is an example in Odagaon block. A youth of this area, Kartikeswar Panda, was appointed as an untrained teacher after voluntary retirement of his father July 11, 1989.
He has got CT training certificate a well as Plus III certificate from Utkal University in 1990-91. A teacher pursuing CT training and his degree course in the same academic year warrants an investigation, locals said, adding that either of his certificates may be forged. It was also alleged that fake teachers are bribing officials at the block and district levels to scuttle their certificate verification to save themselves.
Some leaders of teachers’ association said that many fake teachers stay away during the cluster point verification and later go to the block education officer and pay bribe. It was alleged that some blocklevel officials are, in fact, scuttling the verification process and that there is no transparency. It was seen that Xerox copies of certificates are verified by officials in most cases.
As a result, the genuineness of the certificates will not be ascertained. As for the issue, district education officer (DEO) Akrura Barik said that detection of fake teachers has been intensified. Those involved in the fraud will be taken to task. Bharat Kumar Behera, member of Zilla Parishad Education Standing Committee-7, said that the issue will be raised at the meeting of the education standing committee and action will be taken against fake teachers. Chairperson of Zilla Parishad Education Standing Committee-7, Rameswar Satpathy said the issue will be discussed at the meeting and action will be recommended.
