Edu Dept asks teachers to submit utilisation certificate for Rs 50 lakh funds

Allocation of Rs 50 lakh by the School Education Department for vocational training of students has caught the teachers by surprise.

On September 20, the department had asked schools to invite resource persons to share their real-life experience with the students. However, much to the surprise of the teachers, they have been asked to submit utilisation certificate for funds by September 30.

A total of Rs 50.16 lakh has been earmarked for 2,624 vocational labs in the state.

To keep the students abreast with latest trends and provide them job opportunities, the vocational training would be held under the national skills qualification framework (NSQF).

Prem Chawla, a senior member of the Punjab Government School Teachers’ Union, said asking teachers to submit utilisation certificates in the next eight days would result in paper exercise than providing any valuable information to the students.

The vocational teachers said resource persons would help in mentoring of the students and keep them updated with latest information.

Under the NSQF programme, a total of 67 schools in Faridkot district have been allocated ₹1. 34 lakh for the training. According to information, Rs 500 has been set as an upper limit for a lecture by resource persons.

“We released the funds once these were made available to us,” said a senior functionary in the Education Department.