5 teachers for 205 pupils at Ludhiana school

Shivani Bhakoo

Jassian (Ludhiana), Feb 17

Government Middle School, Jassian, was upgraded to Government High School around three months ago and admissions to Class IX will begin this session. Funds for constructing rooms have also been received, but there is no information yet on recruitment of more teaching staff. The school has only five teachers at present and four posts are lying vacant. If more students of Class IX are added this session, then it will add to the burden on the existing teachers.

Four posts lying vacant

• The posts of social studies, physical education, Punjabi and art and craft teacher are lying vacant
• Funds for constructing rooms were given but there is no information about recruitment of teaching staff
• Government Middle School, Jassian, was upgraded to Government High School around three months ago
• Last year too, the school admitted Class IX students, but due to staff crunch, they were sent to nearby schools

A teacher said: “We have only five teachers for 205 students. The posts of social studies, physical education, Punjabi and art and craft teacher are lying vacant. There is no caretaker or peon. The government expects the school to enrol as many students as possible for Class IX, but there are not enough teachers. Last year too, the school had admitted Class IX students, but due to the staff crunch, the students were sent to nearby schools.”

Notably, many students and their parents consider the school as a “crèche”. A parent said: “We leave our daughter here as we both are daily earners and back home, there is nobody to take care of her. She also gets food (mid-day meal) there.”

When asked how she was doing in her studies, the ignorant parent said they promote every child.

Under the “Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab” project, every child is promoted and students hardly pay attention to the studies knowing that they wouldn’t be detained. Ironically, a girl child of Class VII was not even able to write her name in English and she too would be promoted to the next class.

The school has a huge playground in over six-acre land. People from nearby villages leave their animals there for gazing. Outsiders park their vehicles there and once the school gets over, miscreants enter the school premises through the park and steal items. A planetary education park was created on the ground, the articles of which were stolen.

The staff, as in any other government school, is asked to ensure maximum enrolment, but there are no arrangements to recruit more staff. “Students are the future of the country. A Class VII student is unable to write his/her name and we have to pass everyone. The government must focus on quality education,” said a teacher.