M A I N   N E W S

Punjab changes pattern of releasing grant to aided schools
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 1
The Punjab Government has changed the pattern of releasing 95 per cent grant to aided schools to pay salaries to teaching and non-teaching staff. There are about 480 aided schools with a staff strength of 10,000 in Punjab.

The new order issued by the Director, Education Department (secondary wing), Punjab, says that henceforth the managements of all aided schools, entitled for 95 per cent grant will have to submit their claim for the grant for the entire year once at the beginning of the academic year in April. The claim will be submitted to the District Education Officer (DEO) concerned, which will forward the same to the authorities concerned at the state headquarters.

On the basis of, that claim, grants for three quarters will be released on the due date and any changes if required, will be made while releasing the grant for the last quarter of the academic year. However, the managements of schools concerned will have to submit the grant utilisation certificate on a quarterly basis and will have to inform also with regard to the appointment, retirement or suspension, if any, along with the utilisation certificate.

The Director, Education Department, has issued a letter to all Circle Education Officers as well as to the District Education Officers, informing them about the new pattern. They have been told to follow the new pattern in letter and spirit.

When contacted for comments on the new pattern by The Tribune, Mr Gurcharan Singh Chahal, president of the Punjab State Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union, said it was a welcome development for 10,000 members of teaching and non-teaching staff of aided schools. He said in the earlier pattern, staff of aided schools had been facing difficulties in getting their salary in time.

He said earlier managements of aided schools had to furnish claims at the end of each quarter. On submission, these were examined by the government authorities concerned and the process involved used to get the release of grant delayed sometimes for several months.

When asked about the release of grant, he said the state government had released the grant of first quarter — January to March — and had promised to release the grant of the second quarter soon. It may be mentioned that till July, the state government had not released the grant of any quarter and teachers were without salary since January. He said the union had urged the Education Minister, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, to remove the ban on filling the approved about 500 vacant posts of teaching staff in aided schools. He said though the number of students had gone up tremendously in aided schools, the government had not increased the number of posts since 1967 of the teaching staff in aided schools, who had played a great role in imparting quality education in the state. The union has also urged Mr Bajwa to accept its demand regarding reviving the old pension scheme for the staff of the aided schools and to get expedited the merger of 50 per cent DA in the pension of retired employees.