Science education derailed

At a time when the governments at the Central as well as the state have initiated various programmes to inculcate scientific temperament in students, it is nothing but a cruel joke for senior secondary students in Tarn Taran that faces a shortage of science teachers. The Education Department has made available science stream at 29 government schools in the district. A large number of science teacher posts is lying vacant for decades. Only one institution — Government Secondary School for Boys, Patti — has teachers for all posts subjects i.e. physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics.

Besides, science stream is there at the schools in Chohla Sahib village and Patti town, including Bhalaipur Dogran, Brahampura, Bath, Dubli , Ekal Gadda, Gaggo Bua, Ghriala (boys), Goindwal Sahib, Bhikhiwind, Kirtowal, Jhabal Kalan (girls), Kacha Pakka, Khalra (boys), Khemkaran (boys), Kairon (girls), Lauhka, Mianwind, Pandori Sidhwan, Tur, Rataul, Sakhira, Shahbazpur and Valtoha. But the stream has been declared ‘dead’ at Chohla Sahib (boys), Ghriala (boys), Jhabal Kalan (girls), Minawind, Pandori Sidhwan, Rataul and Sakhiras. Officials say that the stream has been declared dead only because there was not even a single admission into science classes at such schools. 

However, the reality is the antithesis, say villagers, as according to them students opt to study at private schools in the absence of teachers at government schools for decades. There were schools of Brahampura, Chohla Sahib (girls), Kacha Pakka and Valtoha (boys) where only one lecturer post was filed and the remaining laid vacant for years. 

Sources say there are 132 sanctioned posts of lecturers of physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics whereas 69 positions are vacant. Biology is the worst hit subject for which 18 posts are vacant out of 28. District Science Supervisor (DSS) Tejinder Singh said it was in the notice of the department.

Kar Sewa sect’s social work

The Kar Sewa sect Sarhali Sahib organised a mass marriage and a blood donation camp on the occasion of its annual congregation organised in memory Baba Tara Singh and Baba Charan Singh, the founders of the sect. Thousands of followers from across the globe attended the congregation at Gurdwara Gurpuri Sahib, Sohawa (Sarhali), recently.    

As many as 59 couples from needy families tied knot and were given daily usable articles as gifts by Baba Sukha Singh and Baba Hakam Singh. The sect also organised a two-day blood donation camp in which 125 units of blood was donated by the followers of the sect. A kabaddi match was also organised at the end of the three-day functions.

Giani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar, Sri Akal Takhat Sahib; Bhai Gobind Singh Longowal, president, SGPC; Giani Iqbal Singh, Jathedar, Takht Sri Patna Sahib; Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Giani Pooran Singh (both former jathedars of Sri Akal Takht Sahib), Gurbachan Singh Karmunwala besides MLAs Dr Dharamveer Agnihotri and Harminder Singh Gill among others addressed the gathering.