Khadoor Sahib lags in education, health, but focus on Panthic issues

Manmeet Singh Gill 

and Gurbaxpuri

Tribune News Service

Khadoor Sahib, February 8

Two core issues concerning the voters -- health and education -- are not even a part of the political rhetoric for a backward constituency that goes to the polls on February 13.

The leaders are mainly raking up Panthic issues. However, the constituency is lacking in terms of health and education infrastructure and no one seems to be bothered.

Even during Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal's visit last week, the focus remained on panthic issues, grants to panchayats and roads. He too gave health and education a miss in his speeches at over a dozen places he visited.

A look at the education scenario -- of the 10 government senior secondary schools (GSSS) in the constituency which offer science stream, four are dormant as no science teachers are available. In GSSS, Goindwal, no science teacher is available for 17 students enrolled in Class XII.

In GSSS, Mianwind, for 52 science students, physics chemistry and biology teachers are not available. There is only one math teacher. Of the remaining four schools, two face shortage of science teachers.

Only four physics teacher are available for 338 students of Classes XI and XII in the constituency as seven of the 11 sanctioned posts are lying vacant. Of the 10 sanctioned posts of chemistry teacher, eight are vacant, of 10 posts of mathematics, seven are vacant and of 10 posts of biology, eight are vacant.

The scenario of education is dismal in the entire Tarn Taran district as out of the total 451 santioned posts of lecturers, 273 are vacant. Of the total 57 GSSS schools in the district 41 are without Principals. Of 106 high schools, 55 do not have headmasters. A total of 105 posts of vocational masters out of 144 are lying vacant.

In the health sector, of the 16 sanctioned posts of Medical Officers (Specialists) at three health centres in the constituency, seven are vacant. Even the condition of the medical services is poor as free medicines and diagnostic tests are seldom available.

"It is unfortunate that the core issues of education are not part of the political discourse any more. Education is being ignored. It seems politicians are only concerned about pucca roads to their houses," said Harnam Singh, a retired government official.