Panaji, Jun 24 (IANS): Goa's Higher Secondary school teachers have slammed the decision of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to make it mandatory for teachers to mark their physical presence in schools, especially at a time when the Covid-19 cases in the state are witnessing an upswing.

"The decision of the government to call so many teachers to work from schools, without students, in the absence of proper transport and other facilities is very surprising. It appears to have been taken without giving a second thought. Teachers cannot be compared with the other government servants whose services are extremely required in their respective offices," Higher Secondary School Teachers Association of Goa president Anant Pissurlekar said in a statement on Wednesday.

Sawant on Monday (June 22) had said in a press conference that since government servants were reporting to work everyday, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, school and higher secondary teachers should also report to schools and comply with administrative chores.

Schools continue to be shut in Goa, which is witnessing a spike in Covid-19 cases, even as Sawant, who also holds the Education Ministry portfolio, is expected to take a decision on resumption of schools in the state on July 15.

Pissurlekar however states, that attending schools in absence of students would in fact impair the efforts of the teachers to impart online education to students.

"We urge the government to justify how quality of online education can be improved by teaching from schools. On the contrary, forcing teachers to visit schools for online teaching will definitely affect quality of online teaching," the Association president said.