Exams ahead, students busy in R-Day rehearsals

Karam Prakash
Tribune News Service
Patiala, January 19

At a time when students should be preparing for exams that are scheduled to be held in February, hundreds of government school students are busy rehearsing for the Republic Day function.

Hundreds of students in the district have been practising for the cultural programme at the Raja Bhalendra Sports stadium since January 10. As many as 900 students from 11 government schools in the district will participate in the Republic Day event, which will be attended by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

Sources in the Education Department said an IAS level officer had asked for maximum participation from government schools at all district level functions on January 26. Jagtaar Singh Tiwana, school coordinator for the function, said, “Students practise only for two or three hours every day. We started rehearsals for the event on January 10. Students from nearby schools come on foot while others have been provided with the bus service.”

Interestingly, the Education Department had postponed the first-ever teachers’ sports meet, which was scheduled to be held from January 11 to 14 in Ludhiana, citing exams in February.

A government school teacher, on the condition of anonymity, said, “Of course, studies do get affected due to this. It’s the time when revision of syllabus is going on and it’s very important that all students attend classes.” Meanwhile, Vikram Dev, leader of the Sanjha Adhyapak Morcha, said studies of government schools were compromised for Republic Day function. He said, “It is very shameful that instead of preparing for exams, students are forced to prepare for a 20-minute show.”

District Education Officer Kanwal Kumari said, “Student participation in such types of functions is important as they get to know about the history of the country. Also, such events are a part and parcel of studies.”