EDUCATION

PU asked to help literacy mission
By Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 28 — Panjab University is considering a fresh proposal of the Ministry of Human Resource Development that is aimed at building an impetus for the national literacy mission by including non-government organisations in it along with the Adult Education Department.

The MOHRD wants the NGOs to manage and plan the operations of the state resource centres in collaboration with the Department of Adult and Continuing Education. The objective of the programme is to provide technical and academic resource support for literacy programmes.

The plans include preparation of teaching, training and learning material for literacy programmes, production and dissemination (including translation) of literature for adult education, training literacy functionaries; undertaking motivational and environment building activities for the field staff, multimedia work and developing innovative programmes.

Every resource centres is expected to associate itself with literacy programmes of the district from the planning stage itself. The centres are also expected to develop teaching and learning material using the methods for “improved pace and content of learning”. The affairs of the centre will be managed by a governing body. The issue will be discussed in the forthcoming meeting of the Syndicate.

Every resource centre will organise training programmes, seminars and workshops. The centres will undertake research, publish works, monitor the programmes and coordinate with state governments regarding various projects. The material will be designed for basic literacy, post literacy and continuing education.

The resource centres will function as registered voluntary bodies under the aegis of non-government organisations or the university. A resource centre will be allotted to the university only if an appropriate voluntary organisation is not found.

According to the proposal, the staff of the resource centres will be employees of the parent NGO or university and not of the Government of India. The government will only provide the registered society with financial assistance.

The proposal also said financial assistance scheme for adult-education agencies had been introduced in the first Five-Year Plan. The National Policy on Education (NPE) said non-government and voluntary organisations, including social-activist groups, would be encouraged and given financial support. The modified scheme is being considered the Centre’s scheme of assistance to NGOs.

Tapping the potential of slum children
By Monica Sharma

CHANDIGARH, Sept 28 — Night school children from slums are to be geared up for inter-night school competitions to be scheduled soon. The UT Education Department has chalked out a plan in order to channelise the potential of the children studying in these schools and to provide them a platform to help them explore their talent and to inculcate confidence in them.

Coaching will be provided to enhance their talent in various fields like sports, music, dance and other activities. Games and sports are emphasised in night schools to inculcate a spirit of excellence, achievement and self-esteem in the students.

“This is to ensure that the students of night schools come on a common platform and are able to compete with the students of the other schools. This was the motive of starting the night schools and this is another step in following that aim,” said Mr D.S. Saroya, Director Public Instruction (Schools).

Five principals and some heads of the schools have volunteered themselves to participate in such activities and are allotted centres to provide guidance and support to the children. Many teachers have also come up to join this campaign and they will be also allocated various centres as per the need.

It has been decided that meetings of all the centre coordinators will be held often so that they benefit from each other’s experience. Since these children have great potential and talent in various fields, to boost up their morale and to streamline their talent, a festival of games and other activities will be organised on Children Day. Various competitions, including kabbadi, wrestling, athletics, basketball, football, dance, music, etc will be held at different centres.

All the centre in charges, centre coordinators and NGOs participated in a meeting convened today to assess the progress of night schools and to chalk out programmes and to strengthen them further. Seven centres are working at present and two more night schools shall be opened very shortly in the adjoining areas. Out of these two schools one will be opened on October 2 and the Durga Das Foundation has offered their services to adopt the centre.

The timing of the night schools is from 5.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. and is scheduled to be changed for winters.

Hindi fortnight concludes
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 28 — ‘Hindi fortnight’, from September 14 to September 28, being celebrated at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sector 31, Chandigarh ended today. During the period, the school organised Hindi poetry-recitation competitions, lectures, handwriting, and essay writing competitions, quiz, self-composed poetry-recitation competitions and group songs. Office employees participated in the competition for the use of official Hindi and Class IV employees took part in the handwriting competition. The school Principal, Dr S.P. Shergill, distributed Hindi books to children of Colony number 5. A debate competition was organised today at the closing function which was presided over by A-O-C, Arvinda Aggarwal.

The Hindi fortnight, which had been organised in the Central Excise Commissionerate, also concluded today. During the fortnight various competitions in Hindi essay-writing, type-writing, noting and drafting were held. Mr Inder Raj Soni presided over the function and impressed upon all officers and members of the staff present to make efforts to promote Hindi in day-to-day official work. He also distributed prizes to the winners. Savita Sharma, Harvinder Kaur and Vivek Sharma were the winners of the Hindi noting and drafting contest. Taruna Goel, Vivek Sharma and Saroj Rani won the essay-writing competition while Rakesh Tiwari, Karnail Singh and Lata Sharma won the Hindi typewriting contest.

COURTS

5-years RI for causing death
From Our Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, Sept 28 — Sanjiv Kumar resident of Manimajra, was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment by the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.C. Godara, in case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The complainant Ramesh Kumar, brother of the deceased, Ravinder Kumar, alleged that Ravinder had been allegedly killed by the accused. It was alleged that on blow from the accused’s bat on April 2,1993, the deceased had become unconscious. The deceased had been taken to the General Hospital and the PGI, but he had died. The complaint against the accused had been registered in the Mani Majra police station under Sections 308 and 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

The counsel argued that accused had no intention to kill the deceased Ravinder Kumar, and said it was case of accidental death.

The judge sentenced him five years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1000.

Bail plea dismissed

The UT Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr S.K. Goel, today dismissed the bail application moved by a Colony number 5 resident, Nanhey Lal Gupta in an attempt to murder case.

It was alleged that on September 2, there was no electricity in Colony number 5 and at about 10.30 a.m. around 450 persons of the colony reached the main road to show their resentment. They injured many persons including some CRPF personnel, the accused was among killed, who were allegedly involved in assaulting many passers-by with iron rods and stones. The case against the accused was registered under Sections 147, 148, 149, 307, 332, 353, 506, 427 of the Indian Penal Code.

The counsel argued that the accused was out of town when the incident took place and submitted railway tickets as proof.

Dhanas murder case

Gurinder Singh, one of the accused allegedly involved in the Dhanas sarpanch murder case was granted bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 20,000 and surety of the same amount by the UT Additional District and Sessions Judge today.

It was alleged that the accused, along with Lakhbir, Charanjit Singh and Kamaljit Kaur, was allegedly involved in the sarpanch’s murder. The other three persons Lakhbir, Charanjit, Kamaljit were sent judicial remand till October 11 by the UT Judicial Magistrate (Ist class). 

CULTURE

Play of the good and the bad
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 28 — Sakharam Binder, translation of a Vijay Tendulkar classic Marathi play, at Tagore Theatre this evening proved to be a pleasing experience.

The crude but real language of the people carries a heavy impact and a heart-touching script lends more beauty. The ninth performance of the play has been directed by Umesh Kant, winner of the Natya Shiromani award.

Sakharam is a binder by profession in a press and is frustrated by circumstances and is sick of hypocrisy. He abhors women from childhood when even his mother used to address him as chamaar. He has immense disrespect for female body.

Things change when Lakshmi comes in his life. She is religious. He transforms a little but the language does not change. He throws her out.

Sakharam gets Champa, an outgoing flirt girl. She also has a tough life being wife of a drunkard before she enters Sakharam’s hut.

Sakharam lacks basic human qualities . His treatment is not fair and the “animal in him wakes up at regular intervals”. It is basically a play of the good and the bad as manifest in normal beings.

The language and action typical to Tendulkar script stands out because the language holds the key to reality and interest.

Yogesh Arora as Sakharam has managed a good performance. Only the loudness and anger seem to be worked little more than necessary at times. Raj Sharma and Preeti deserve praise for clean performances. Arvind Sood and Anurag also have done justice.

The Theatre Lab production was staged by the State Bank Officers Association.