Govt orders action over negative social media posts by primary school teachers

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has directed authorities to identify and take action against government primary school teachers who are allegedly posting negative content on social media, including Facebook.

In a directive issued on Tuesday (May 12), the ministry said some teachers across the country have been posting, sharing, or engaging in content that includes criticism, misinformation, and derogatory remarks against the government, public institutions, and official decisions, which it said is damaging the state’s image.

The ministry reminded that the use of social media by government employees is governed by the “Guidelines for Use of Social Media in Government Institutions-2019” issued by the Cabinet Division, which is applicable to all public servants.

It further stated that violation of these guidelines constitutes a breach of government service rules and falls under misconduct as per the Government Employees (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2018.

The directive instructed authorities to urgently identify teachers involved in such activities and initiate departmental proceedings against them. It also asked for updates on the actions taken to be reported back to the ministry without delay.