PANAJI
Poor connectivity and difficulty in responding to automated calls by teachers during school hours are two major factors hampering the working of the Integrated Voice Response System (IVRS) which was implemented by the State Directorate of Education (DoE) for monitoring the mid-day meal (MDM) scheme since the current academic year 2017-18.
Currently, only 30 per cent to 50 per cent schools manage to respond to the automated calls, which are generated during school hours.
Speaking to The Goan Everyday, a school teacher informed, “It is difficult for us to answer the calls during school hours as we usually don’t carry our cellphones to the class. Secondly, if we answer the calls, we miss out on the lectures.”
Headmaster of a Tiswadi-based school said, “We have poor connectivity in the school premises so sometimes we don’t even receive the calls. Secondly, we have banned use of cellphone in the school premises. So how can we permit teachers to answer calls during school hours?”
Following these hiccups, the DoE is now contemplating on reworking the system to make it convenient for teachers to provide the required information.
Instead of an automated call, a system will be devised wherein an SMS will be sent to the teacher (in-charge of MDM scheme in the school) and time limit up to evening on the same day would be given to respond with the requisite information.
Speaking to The Goan Everyday, Education Director Gajanan Bhat informed that the Info-tech Corporation Goa has already started reworking on the system which is expected to be implemented from the coming academic year.
“In some schools, especially in remote areas there is no connectivity and hence they do not receive any calls. Secondly, during school hours, they find it difficult to answer calls. We want to put a system in place wherein they are able to respond with all information with regard to MDM scheme”, he said.
“Instead of automated calls, if we send them SMS, they will receive once they are into the coverage area. Secondly, we will give them time till evening so that they can respond with accurate information which will help in plugging leakages in the scheme”, he stated.
