Tablets, instead of shawls and coconuts, for prized teachers

Bouquets, shawls, certificates and coconuts are passé. The state government is pulling out all the stops to encourage its ace educators. Going against tradition, the administration has decided to provide tablet computers as meeds to teachers from this year.

The initiative, being seen as part of ushering internet governance into the state smoothly, was recently announced by the chief minister, who declared that henceforth tabs be presented to recipients of state teacher awards. Though the pronouncement was made on September 5, a decision was reached on October 31, and the circular on the same was issued on November 2.

The government has selected a private company, which will supply the devices for Rs 8,800 each. According to an education department official, previously, awardees were given two increments, apart from shawls, certificates and flowers. Now, the tablets will help them become more tech savvy. Hence, the government has given approval to 105 teachers being distributed the computers this time, which will also help them educate students better.

Vilas Gherde, a primary section teacher, said, "A tablet as an award will definitely help us impart learning on subjects like information technology." Striking a contrarian note, Sabina Zaveri, principal of the Urdu-medium Anjuman-E-Islam High School at CST, said, "An awardee gets two increments that is beneficial in the long run. If tablets are given as incentive, then that's fine and we welcome the move. But, if the increments that are given to awardees are stopped, then that is not fair."

"From the time the Sixth Central Pay Commission was announced, the extra increments given to teachers have been discontinued. The government is planning to present tablets to teachers who receive state awards. I don't know if the decision has been implemented. I have not checked the circular yet," said NB Chavan, deputy director of school education.

Rs 8,800
The cost at which the private company will supply each tab to the governmentu00a0