EDUCATION

‘Save higher education’ 
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 13 — A meeting of Punjab Federation of University Teachers Association (PFUTA) was held yesterday, on a call given by the AIFUTA. The PFUTA decided that all the universities in Punjab would observe November 22, 2000 as ‘save higher education day’ by organising discussions/seminar to highlight the crises of university education in India due to policies of the Union and the state governments towards higher education. The university teachers will participate in the protest dharna in front of the UGC office, New Delhi, on November 22, 2000 from 10.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The meeting resented the non-payment of arrears to the teachers of Guru Nanak Dev University and Punjabi University, Patiala, from January 1, 96. According to a press release the arrears have been already paid to the teachers of government colleges of this region.

The meeting also passed a resolution condemning the appointment of the UGC observing the selection committees of the CAS from reader to professor.

The PFUTA also showed concern at the working of education and the Finance Department of the Punjab government, which according to them, starve the universities for funds thus obstructing growth of the higher education. Prof H.S. Sidhu, President, GNDUTA, was elected unanimously as the convener by the PFUTA and Dr Devi Sirohi, President, PUTA, as co-convener of the PFUTA for the session 2000-2001.

Reading habit on the decline
From A Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 13 — Mr A.K. Maleri has been working as a librarian with Arya College for Boys for the past 28 years. He is assisted by one restorer, one clerk and four peons. He says, “Our staff is inadequate. That is why we have to lock all the almirahs to safeguard the books.”

“We have excellent collection of books. The library is meant for 800 to 1000 students. But we have around 2500 students. So the library should be extended so that it can accommodate more students. It should be made more attractive too. I have written to the principal and the management to increase the size of library, but so far nothing has been done.”

Do you have any plans of computerising the library?

“No, not in the near future,” said the librarian.

A special room has been provided for post graduate students. The college offers history and political science as post graduate subjects. But sadly, there are no post graduate students making use of the books. Varun and Rajan, BA II students, were studying their own books in that room for it provided them a calm and quiet atmosphere. They said, “We never get library books issued, for we have no time to read them.”

This opinion was shared by a number of students. Vinay and Vikas, students of 10+2 said they seldom visited the library. Some times they went to the library to read newspapers or consult syllabus book. Some other boys of 10+2 also confessed, “We have not even got our library cards issued. Moreover, we do not feel like going to the library.”

Mr A.K. Maleri informed that all the students were entitled to get library cards free of cost. It was sheer apathy and lack of interest for reading that students avoid to get their library cards issued. He said that reading habits are on the decline. “I try to create interest for reading among the students. I tell them to read specific books and specific pages of the newspaper, but it has not shown any positive results. The college teachers have a definite role to play in enlightening the society. Sadly, these intellectuals are not doing their duty. It is the consumerism that is eating into the vitals of our society. Earlier, people were sensitised and concerned about weaker section. The students used to take interest in the reading. The teachers, too, frequented the library, but now these have become things of past,” he said.

Mr Prem Walia, Head of the Physical Department and Sports Section said, “We have books on physical education, but sadly we have no latest and general books on sports.”

Ms Tejinder Kaur said, “In a day, we issue 250 books. The books can be kept by a student for a fortnight. Failing to return within the stipulated time, a fine of rupee 1 per day is imposed.” However, some students said, “whenever we tried to get some books issued, we were told that we cannot carry the books home. We have tried to bring it to the notice of our principal, but to no avail. The books are kept locked in the cupboard and hardly anybody reads them.”

Though a catalogue of entire stock of books was there, but few students knew how to use it. It is strange that many students who were just standing and talking, said they did not have the time to go to the library. So 48000 books, 25 periodicals, 16 newspapers lie in the library, waiting for the students to explore them.

Nov 14 celebrations go modern
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 13 — Children’s Day will be hi-fi this year as kids are devising new ways to celebrate it. There is no bar on money that is to be spent on the celebrations.

Students of a city school have planned a dance party for tomorrow. Colourful invitation cards and posters designed on computer have been prepared for the day by students of another school.

Students of Kundan Vidya Mandir have prepared beautiful invitation cards for their teachers and the Principal. Most of these have been designed on computer. “We will bring our music systems to the school. We will dance and play games the whole day. Besides this, we will also enjoy a treat of Chinese snacks and Coke,” said some senior students of the school.

In many schools like New Senior Secondary School and Sanatan Vidya Mandir, fancy dress competitions and dance items will be organised. Students will dress as Chacha Nehru, fairies, devils, doctors, teachers and so on. Parents have bought them expensive dresses.

Today, teachers of Sacred Heart Convent School decorated the school with colourful charts and posters for children. Teachers were also seen preparing skit and dance items for tomorrow’s functions.

Besides schools, many other organisations will also organise functions for children tomorrow. The Department of Posts will organise a painting competition. Students of more than 15 schools of the city are likely to take part in it.

School in bad shape
From Our Correspondent

KHANNA, Nov 13 — The dilapidated condition of government schools here has put a questionmark on the claims made by the Punjab Government regarding the Education Department spending lakh of rupees to improve the condition of government schools.

A visit to the Government Girls Senior Secondary School here by this correspondent revealed the sorry state of affairs. This school has not even been provided with adequate staff. The school has 3000 students and 83 staff members. The school has three vocational courses of knitting, garment making and food preservation. It is learnt that till 1998 the school was getting a grant of Rs 2,440 per trade but since 1998 no grant has reached the school so far. The number of admission is going less every year while the govt is paying Rs 60,000 per month to the technical staff only.

The boundary wall of the school is broken from backside of the school where a slaughter house is situated. Due to the broken wall the dogs can be seen roaming in the school with mutton pieces in their mouths.

The major problem of the school, according to the Principal, Ms Varsha, is sewerage water of the city. She said the school building is situated at a lower level and in rainy seasons people and even the MC employees turn the flow of water towards the school by breaking wall of the school.

Though the school has a big building and in spite of this 16 classes in the school are conducted under the sky due to lack of rooms. The short space of staff room and cycle stand is also a big problem.

Ms Varsha said an immediate grant should be released for the school to construct boundary wall and the classrooms.

Teachers to hold dharna
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 13 — In a meeting of the district council of Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union, it has been decided that teachers from Ludhiana colleges will stage a dharna outside the venue of the PU syndicate meeting scheduled on November 18, at Chandigarh.

The teachers will demand extension to Ms Gurcharan Kaur, lecturer at Master Tara Singh College whose retirement is due on November 30. The teachers will also demand increment in pay scales of lecturers under uncovered posts at Khalsa College for Women.