No guard to keep vigil at schools

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 12

Most of the government schools in the district don’t have night watchmen (chowkidar) despite the fact that a high number of theft incidents have been reported in the recent past.

Apart from this, schools also lack sweepers. These schools are somehow managing with part-time workers or MNREGA workers.

As per information, of 397 government primary and high schools in the district, only half a dozen schools have the post of sweeper while no primary school has no such post, forget about night watchmen.

Moreover, under the Right to Education Act, seeking any fund from students of Class I to VIII is prohibited, due to which in some schools teachers are collecting money on their own and are getting the cleaning work done by private workers.

There are 272 government senior secondary and high schools in the district. Sources claim that there are only 36 permanent and 61 part-time sweepers, who are paid on per hour basis, according to the DC rates.

Part-time workers claim that they are paid Rs 30 per hour and they work around two and a half hour in a day.

Teachers’ union leader Jagsir Singh Sahota said when they were not able to get cleaning done on time, they ask students to clean but it led to issue of child labour. He said they were facing trouble from both the sides.

District education officer Baljit Kumar said sweeper-cum-watchmen posts have been lying vacant for which they have told the government from time to time, but the approval is to be given by the government.

Education Department secretary Krishan Kumar held meeting with schools heads on Tuesday and has shown them the dream of making smart schools. He has told the teachers about how to seek money from NRIs or rich families for making smart schools.

Teachers’ front district convener Resham Singh said from Tuesday’s meeting, it was clear that government schools were not going to get any facility.

Schools managing with part-time workers

• Apart from this, schools also lack sweepers. These schools are somehow managing with part-time workers or MNREGA workers. 
• Moreover, under the Right to Education Act, seeking any fund from students of Class I to VIII is prohibited, due to which in some schools, teachers are collecting money on their own and are getting the cleaning work done by private workers.
• There are 272 government senior secondary and high schools in the district. Sources claim that there are only 36 permanent and 61 part-time sweepers, who are paid on per hour basis, according to the DC rates.
• Part-time workers claim that they are paid Rs 30 per hour and they work around two and a half hours in a day.
• Teachers’ union leader Jagsir Singh Sahota said when they were not able to get cleaning done on time, they ask students to clean but it led to issues related to child labour. He said they were facing trouble from both the sides.