State-aided schoolteachers can go on paternity leave as the school education department has given its approval.

The managing committees of several state-aided schools had refused male teachers 30 days’ paternal leave citing lack of clear notification from the department.

The department’s recent notification on the leave has been forwarded to school heads for immediate implementation.

The state finance department had issued a notification in 2016 saying all men working in government offices as well as permanent teachers and non-teaching staff in state-aided schools can get 30 days’ paternity leave.

The leave will apply to two children but will not exceed 30 days in a teacher’s entire service period.

But teachers and other employees in schools could hardly take the leave as managing committees insisted on a notification from the school education department.

Metro had reported last October about teachers not getting the paternity leave.

“Several teachers had approached the department... the notification has been issued after speaking to higher authorities in the government,” a department official said.

“Teachers often come to us for paternity leave. At times, there’s a misunderstanding when their applications get rejected,” the headmaster of a north Calcutta school said. “We are happy that the government has understood the problem and issued the notification.”