Interestingly, the Director General for the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, Punjab, Krishan Kumar, takes personal care in ensuring that the queries of parents and wards are answered on the control room number.

“The director recently called up some government schools in the state to check if any teacher was carrying cellphones in the classroom, how he/she teaches or whether the students understand the lesson or not. He also communicates with students over the phone,” said sources.

Talking to Newsline, Kumar said, “We have established a control room number — 6541673 — and welcome queries related to different projects being run by the SSA in Punjab. Whenever I get a complaint about improper working of a school teacher, I try to personally probe into the case.”

While acknowledging his inability to keep a daily track of developments, Kumar added, “Whenever I get time and find it necessary to get the right feedback, I make a call on my own.”

The move assumes significance as even after the government school teachers were recently prohibited from carrying cellphones in classrooms, a majority of them reportedly turned a deaf ear to the instructions.

Requesting anonymity, a government school teacher said, “It is not possible to keep away the cellphones.”

The parents, meanwhile, are a happy lot. A parent’s response: “Chalo masterji nu check karan wala koi tan aaya.” (I am happy that at last someone will maintain a check on teachers).