GURGAON: Two government school teachers have come under scrutiny after allegedly making social media reels inside classrooms during school hours instead of teaching students, prompting an official inquiry by the Haryana Education Department.
The matter reached the Directorate of Education in Panchkula after a complaint, accompanied by screenshots of the reels, was submitted to the Additional Chief Secretary. Taking swift cognisance, the Directorate directed the district education authorities to investigate the incident and seek an explanation from the teachers concerned as well as the school heads.
According to initial findings, one teacher each from a Government Girls Senior Secondary School in NIT-1 and a Government Model Senior Secondary School in Sarai was reportedly involved, with both complaints filed by the same individual.
“Preliminary inquiry suggests that the teachers were making reels during class hours,” officials said, adding that both teachers were summoned on Wednesday, though their responses are yet to be disclosed.
In response to the controversy, the Education Department has issued a strict directive banning the making of recreational reels and short videos, as well as unnecessary mobile phone usage by teachers during teaching hours across all 378 government primary, middle, high, and senior secondary schools in the district.
District elementary education officer Basant Kumar Hillo stated, “We will send a detailed report to the Directorate after completing the investigation,” while emphasizing that such complaints had surfaced earlier but were often dealt with through warnings. The latest directive also extends to students and staff, prohibiting any entertainment-related video content within school premises. However, the order clarifies that videos of educational, cultural, or awareness nature may be permitted only after prior approval from the department and under the supervision of an authorized official. Officials warned that strict action would follow any violation of these instructions.
