Move to check ‘misuse’ of sick leave by teachers stirs row

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, January 8

The move of the School Education Department on Tuesday to check the misuse of sick leave by teachers has stirred a controversy.

To diminish ‘unwarranted’ absenteeism among government school teachers, who allegedly abuse the sick leave policy, the Director (Secondary) of the Education Department on Tuesday issued strict guidelines to stop the misuse of sick leave by teachers, especially at a time of examinations in schools.

In a letter to all District Education Officers (DEOs), Sukhjitpal Singh, Director, Education Department, conveyed that a school head was allowed to grant only three days of medical leave to a sick teacher.

“For a sick leave of more than three days, the teacher concerned has to get permission from the Director, Education Department, and that too with a medical certificate from the competent authority,” the Director said.

Even at the time of granting three-day sick leave, the competent authority has the discretion to secure a second medical opinion from a senior medical officer or Civil Surgeon.

Till March 31, a school head cannot grant half-pay leave to any teacher. Under special circumstances, only the Director can grant these leaves, read the new directions.

Balkar Singh Valtoha, state president Government School Teachers Union, said the directions are breach of Punjab Civil Services Rules.

“It is very difficult for us to understand how a sick teacher from a faraway corner of the state will rush to the Director’s office in Chandigarh and wait for approval in case of emergent illness or medical complication. It will promote corruption in the Director’s office,” said Valtoha.

However, Sukhjitpal Singh said there was no violation of Service Rules. “These directions are in consonance with the Service Rules. It is being done to make sure teachers aren’t misusing their sick leave, especially at a time when it’s difficult to find substitute teachers in the examination days in schools,” he said.

“Sick days are not personal days or vacation days and should not be used as such. No one is trying to deny employees their proper use of sick days”, said another senior functionary in the department.

“In this peak study season in the schools when students need more attention of their teachers, we have received many complaints that teachers were getting leave on medical grounds, particularly the teachers who are on the verge of retirement,” said the director.

“Many of these teachers want to avail of the balance of their leaves, not bothering about the students. So we want to ensure that teachers take leave only when they are actually sick,” he added.

“Our expectation is that sick days will be used when teachers are actually ill. It’s not that if you are well but have a couple of half-pay leaves left, you go on sick leave”, said a senior functionary in the department.

There is no need for compliance of these instructions in case of cancer, heart patient and in any accident, the director said.