Education maketh a man and an educated man makes for a progressive nation. In our country the role of a teacher has always been a revered one. A teacher is instrumental in developing curiosity, knowledge and character in his/her disciples. This exalted position is now under threat of losing its illustrious reputation, thanks to the number of unqualified people that have started faking their entry into academia.
Educational institutes need to set up a multi level hiring process and make employee background verifications a pre-requisite for application. It’s in the institute’s benefit to place new hires as temps, scrutinize their work and then convert them to full time employees. This will also allow the background verification service provider the time to carry out a thorough and detailed check.
The background check process for new hires in an educational institute can be complicated. The elements to consider in this process include:
- Feedback from previous or current students: The best insight into the job seekers previous performance can be provided by their students. If possible the background check company should take feedback from the job seeker’s ex-students and provide a report about the same to the new employer.
- Propensity to pursue new qualifications: The candidate under consideration should be given extra brownie points if he/she shows the enthusiasm or eagerness to pursue new qualification. This can be verified by checking on the ongoing qualifications that the candidate may have mentioned on the application form. This is an important aspect to consider as a candidate that pursues newer qualifications will be able to impart the most up-to-date knowledge to his/her students.
- Involvement with extremist parties or ideologies: Any involvement of the candidate under scrutiny with extremist parties should raise an immediate red flag and lead to immediate disqualifications of the job application. As a teacher, a person has immense power to influence young minds, any nurturing of these young fragile minds in the wrong directions can have derogative effects.
- Criminal check: The other important background check to consider is the criminal check. This helps verify whether the candidate has committed any criminal offence in the past and its severity. A teacher’s responsibility is not limited to imparting knowledge but also to develop moral values in his/her students. A criminal record for a job applicant can imply a lack of judgment or a total disregard for rules and regulations. In any case presence of a criminal record should be a cause for immediate disqualification.
The other employee verifications to consider are the address and education verifications. Both of these are equally important in providing further insight into the candidate’s qualifications and background.
It is as much our responsibility, as the schools, to ensure that the right people are overseeing our children’s development. We should ensure that the school mandates background checks not just for the teaching staff but also for all the other employees. Having our children develop and grow in a safe and secure environment is the best gift that we can impart to them.
We at JantaKhoj understand this need and provide background service to assist educational institutes choose the right person. Reach us on 040 42007092 or sales@jantakhoj.com to get a free sample of the employee background verification services we provide.
