The rampant practice of proxy teaching in government schools in Nagaland is a blot on the noble profession as it deprives children of quality education, disrupting the administration in stark contrast of the vocation and overshadowing the sacrifices of those genuinely putting their hearts into their work. This widely discussed topic usually receives more traction during the announcement of exam results and Teachers’ Day. Unfortunately, people end up discussing about the failures of government school teachers even on occasions set aside for celebrating and acknowledging their contribution to society, thanks to those immune to public outcry against keeping substitutes. It’s not that other departments are free of malpractice and corruption, but the teaching profession attracts more attention and scrutiny because of its crucial role in shaping the future of society. It in a way signifies the importance of the profession and the social responsibility of teachers. People are aware that continuing to sacrifice the future of thousands of children on the altar of convenience of employees will be too costly for society, for which there is outcry, and rightly so. The employees, who keep substitutes also must be aware of the repercussions of their actions on students, especially those from poor families, but still refuse to mend their ways. This unwillingness and the unsuccessful attempts of the School Education department to end this menace indicate that a multi-dimensional approach is required to tackle it.
It is encouraging that the School Education department has introduced Digital Teacher's Diary to monitor the performance of teachers. The steps initiated against government school teachers who are not performing their duties is also commendable. However, it is just a scratch on the surface of a deep rooted problem. To eradicate the issue it will require collective effort from the government, civil bodies and individuals. The concerned authorities should dig deeper into the problem, apply the same yardstick to all employees and set a precedent by taking appropriate action on errant ones. In the same measure, communities should be involved in this process as the issue is deeply entrenched in society, to the point of being normalised over the years. Civil society organisations, student bodies and village councils should not guard errant employees just because they know them or are from influential families. Double standards won’t help solve the matter. Individuals too should uphold their integrity and perform their duties without being asked to. It’s time for such teachers to listen to their conscience and take an appropriate decision. Teachers’ Day should not be reduced to an occasion to talk about those engaging proxies against their posts but to celebrate the contributions and invaluable service of teachers to society.