Steps taken to improve education fail to yield results as schools face acute staff shortage

The Punjab Government has always claimed that school education and health remain on its top priority list. Many decisions to improve school education were taken by the state government and the Education Department. Starting from Schools of Eminence to Schools of Happiness, the focus this year was to bring reformation in the school education. Teachers were sent abroad for training and grants were given to schools to complete buildings. As far as colleges are concerned, neither any controversy erupted nor any major decision was taken to improve education these institutions by the government.

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425 schools converted to Schools of Happiness

The state government decided to convert 425 government primary schools in Punjab into Schools of Happiness under the NABARD scheme last year. Each school would be allotted a grant of Rs 40 lakh. In all Rs 171.70 crore would be spent under the scheme to upgrade these schools. Ten schools were chosen from Ludhiana district for upgradation.

National School Games held in city

In December this year, National School Games were organised by the state government in Ludhiana. Hundreds of students from all over the country participated in the games.

No bag day observed in government schools

In a first-of-its-kind initiative taken by the District Education Officer (Elementary) in October, last Saturday was declared a “no bag day” for students of government primary schools in the district. Happiness writ large on faces of students as they played and engaged themselves in various entertaining and fruitful activities throughout the day. It was a day full of “masti” for students.

Teachers sent to Finland for training

The state government organised programmes for teachers in which some of them were sent to Finland for training. Two school teachers from Ludhiana were chosen for the three-week training in Finland regarding which a memorandum of understanding was signed by Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains in Delhi. The two teachers selected for training were Manpreet Singh from the Government Primary School, Bodal Wala, and Manmeet Pal Grewal from Government Primary School, Umra.

7,000 post of lecturer vacant in schools

This year government senior secondary schools (GSSS) and primary schools across the state faced acute staff crunch which put a dent on the quality education provided to students. Out 7,000 vacancies of lecturers in senior secondary schools, Ludhiana district alone accounted for 400. Even in government primary schools, staff crunch hit school education.

Two Schools of Eminence yet to start functioning

Despite tall claims of the Education Minister and the administration, two Schools of Eminence at the Miller Ganj and Kidwai Nagar have failed to start. For one reason or the other, the school building construction could not be completed. Students attended one School of Eminence near Vardhman Colony.

Teachers told to collect funds for holding games

The Education Department drew flak for instructing teachers to collect funds for holding games for primary school students. The development was strongly opposed by the teaching community, which felt that if the government wanted to promote games among students, separate funds should be allocated to schools for the purpose. Though these were verbal directions, it invited criticism from teachers.

‘Misappropriation of mid-day meal funds’

Many allegations of misappropriation of funds for the mid-day meals were levelled against the authorities concerned. The District Primary Education Department initiated action against two schools in which more funds were drawn under the garb of mid-day meal scheme while the number of students enrolled in the institutions was much low.

SCG Government College sans permanent Principal

The leading SCD Government College has yet to get permanent Principal. The last Principal retired in August. The college affairs are managed by an officiating Principal.

Guest faculty of govt colleges holds protest

The guest faculty of assistant professors in government colleges were in a shock when few of them were replaced by their regular counterparts. During a protest by the guest faculty, many of them alleged that they were given salaries. They said the government had yet to give clarification on their status of appointment.