‘Bajwara school, AFPI can co-exist’

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, March 5

Though the Hoshiarpur Tehsildar had assured that 131-year-old SBAC Senior Secondary School, Bajwara, will not be closed for setting up Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI), the Education Department has begun the process of shifting school students to nearby government schools from the next academic session starting April 1.

Sakshi, a whistle-blower in the case, along with her husband and representative of Bajwara School Bachao Committee Rajiv Vashisht on Thursday met officials of the Education Department and handed over a memorandum, urging the authorities not to close the school. They said the AFPI required around 10 acres and there were 14 acres available with the school, so both the school and AFPI can co-exist.

Rajiv Vashisht said: “The government is all set to close the school which is against the interests of students. We will not let it happen at any cost and will oppose any such attempt by all means within the ambit of law.”

The District Education Officer (DEO) has submitted a class-wise detail of 557 students of the SBAC school to be shifted to nearby government schools. Detail of the school staff to be absorbed in the Education Department has also been sent by the DEO to the Director, Secondary Education Education, in reply to a letter dated February 20.

In the said letter, the DEO has informed that there are 48 students of Class VI, 51 students of Class VII, 68 students of Class VIII, 82 students of Class IX, 88 students of Class X, 113 students of Class XI and 107 students of Class XII at the school. There are nine teachers and two non-teaching staff members.

The letter by the DEO has raised question over the fate of many those employees who have been hired by the school management and many of whom have been working for several years as there is no proposal regarding their adjustment in the letter.