After students, Telangana set to expand facial recognition attendance system to teachers

The school education department recently sought a nod from the State government, as in the past a section of teachers had opposed the introduction of a facial recognition attendance system.

Hyderabad: After launching it for students, the School Education department is set to introduce the facial recognition system (FRS) to record teachers’ attendance in the government-run schools under its ambit. The new system will do away with the age-old practice of marking attendance in registers.

The department has chalked out a detailed plan to implement the new system for staff working in Government and Local Body Schools, Model Schools, TGRIES, KGBVs and Urban Residential Schools functioning across the State.

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The FRS has already been implemented in Peddapalli district as a pilot project, which yielded the desired results. Before extending it to all districts, the department recently sought a nod from the State government, as in the past a section of teachers had opposed the move.

The new attendance system will ensure teachers arrive at schools on time and help curb proxy attendance. It will help monitor the teachers’ attendance in real time as the new system will be linked to ‘Vidya Samiksha Kendra’, a command control centre, established on the lines of Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre.

Earlier, the department implemented the FRS in schools in Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri on a pilot basis. However, due to opposition from the teachers’ unions, the department excluded teachers from this attendance system.

“We have written to the State government seeking approval for extending FRS for all teachers working under the ambit of the School Education department. Once we receive approval, it will be implemented across all government-run schools in the State,” a senior official said.