As many as 120 secondary-grade teachers in Chennai Corporation’s primary schools are under the scanner for landing jobs with fake certificates.
The Corporation, which has commenced an inquiry into the source of the certificates, is yet to ascertain the exact number of teachers who have submitted them. Some of the teachers even have certificates from non-existent teacher training institutes.
Many of the teachers are yet to cooperate with the civic body in the scrutiny of the certificates, said a Corporation official.
According to sources in the Corporation, the teachers who are under scrutiny were appointed in the period between 1995 and 2000. The civic body started an inquiry into the matter in 2004. Eight teachers were dismissed and more teachers with fake certificates were traced.
However, the Corporation commissioner was transferred, putting an end to action against such teachers a decade ago. Recent investigations by the civic body have revealed that some employees also misled senior officials during the verification process in 2004.
“All the teachers with fake certificates will be traced soon,” said another official.
A secondary grade teacher who works at a Chennai School said certificates are periodically verified, especially at the time of promotions. Her certificates, she said, were verified a week ago. “Teachers without requisite training cannot handle primary classes. Unless they are trained in child psychology and teaching methodologies, it will reflect in the classroom,” she said.
The education department of the Corporation manages 32 higher secondary schools, 36 high schools, 1 Urdu high school, 1 Telugu high school, 92 middle schools, 122 primary schools and 30 kindergarten schools with a total of 98,857 students and 4,041 teachers.
