Lucknow: The pilot project by education department to track real-time attendance of teachers, students, mid-day meal, distribution of free material, income and expenditure and other activities in the state-run schools recorded a poor show on its launch on Monday. According to the data collated by the education department, merely 6% of over 25,000 schools in seven districts where the pilot project took off used technology in maintaining daily records.Only 1.5% of the 80,000 teachers could maintain pace with technology and updated school records on Prerna portal. The pilot project was started in Lucknow, Hardoi, Lakhimpur Kheri, Rae Bareli, Sitapur, Unnao and Shravasti.In all, less than 6% of attendance of teachers and students was recorded online using tablets that are geo-fenced to ensure attendance is marked from within the school premises. The digitization process is undertaken to ensure the system is real time and transparent and reduce the administrative burden of teachers so that they can spend more time on academic work and improve governance. Disappointed with the dismal show, director general of school education (DGSE) Vijay Kiran Anand has asked the basic education officers (BSAs) to clarify why the department should not fix their responsibility and whether there was a clear communication for the implementation of the digital registers. He also asked BSAs to clarify if teachers were encouraged to take up the online mechanism or their apathy towards technology led to the poor show.According to the data, not a single teacher in Lakhimpur Kheri and Rae Bareli used tablets for online updates, while only 1% teachers from Lucknow, Hardoi and Shravasti made use of technology. The highest percentage was recorded from Sitapur where merely 4% teachers resorted to the online mechanism.We also published the following articles recentlyPunjab education minister pledges to address teacher shortage in public schoolsPunjabs government schools, under the Bhagwant Mann dispensation, have made significant progress in improving education. Previously, 3,500 state-run schools had no teachers or only one teacher. However, the number of such schools has now decreased to less than 600. By March, Punjab aims to become the first state in the country where no school will be without a teacher or have only one teacher. The state government is also working to equip all 20,000 government schools with WiFi and establish 10,000 new classrooms. Additionally, efforts are being made to provide free and quality education to all students, regardless of social category or economic status.Four drunk TN school students abuse teachers and headmasterFour students from a government school in Villupuram, Tamil Nadu were arrested for causing havoc at the school premises. The students, who had consumed alcohol from a Tasmac outlet, disrupted classes and verbally abused teachers and the headmaster. They also issued death threats and damaged school property. The headmaster reported the incident to the Tiruvanainallur police, who subsequently arrested the students. PMK founder S Ramadoss expressed shock and called for the closure of all liquor shops and the implementation of total prohibition in the state.School teacher kidnapped, married at gunpoint in Bihar; rescuedA school teacher in Bihars Vaishali district was kidnapped and forcibly married at gunpoint. The incident occurred when the teacher, Gautam Kumar, was taken from the school premises by individuals in a four-wheeler. He was then taken to an undisclosed location where he was married to Chandani Kumari against his will. The police have rescued the teacher while the girl has been returned to her parents. Gautam Kumar, a 23-year-old teacher, was posted at Repura upgraded middle school in the Patepur area.

Stay updated with all the Lucknow Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.