EDUCATION

842 teacher’s posts vacant in schools
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Dec 18 — Posts of as many as 842 primary teachers, out of the 3,779, are vacant in the government schools in the district.

Sources in the Education Department say that the Bet area is the worst hit. Nearly 47 posts are vacant in the Sidhwan Bet and 53 in the Machhiwara area. Even in the Mangat primary school block 54 posts have not been filled. The problem has now also started affecting the city. Nearly 25 posts remain vacant in areas like Haibowal, Dholewal, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Jail Road, Jodhewal, Gobind Nagar, Chander Nagar, area of Division No 3, Inder Puri and New Hira Nagar. No new appointments have been made ever since the teachers in these schools retired.

The sources said the teachers from primary schools with low student strength were being temporarily shifted to schools with more student strength and relatively few teachers. For this different classes will be clubbed, they said.

However, teachers said that this arrangement would not work out in February as a large number of these teachers have been assigned census duties. The 19 Block Development Officers of the district have expressed their reservation regarding the same to the DEO (Primary) at a meeting held here on Friday.

Mr Piara Singh, president, Government Primary Teachers Association, said the association would present a memorandum to the Minister of Education tomorrow and, thereafter, hold a meeting with the DPI (Schools). 

Renotify post of DSW, says PAU faculty
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Dec 18 — While certain members of the faculty of Punjab Agricultural University say that the post of the Director Student Welfare (DSW) should be notified again, the Board of Management of the PAU is likely to approve the appointment of a regular DSW at its meeting scheduled to be held tomorrow at Chandigarh.

Faculty members say that the selection of the Dr Sinderjit Singh Gill has become redundant because of he was selected about one and half years ago but his appointment had not been approved by the Board. They say that as per rules and conventions, no selection remains valid after six months. They say that as there are several new aspirants for this post, the PAU authorities should renotify this post and invite the application from the faculty to make the selection.

The post had fell vacant on June 18, 1998, when Dr Paul Singh Sidhu left this post to join as Dean, College Of Agriculture. Since then the charge of this post has remained with one professor or other as a temporary arrangement.

In response to this post notified by the PAU in 1998, as many as 21 teachers submitted applications. The selection committee met under the chairmanship of Dr. G.S. Kalkat, VC, PAU, on June 2 last year. There were three other members in the selection committee, including Dr B.S. Dhillon, a member of Board Of Management of the university. The selection committee’s recommendation for Dr Sinderjit Singh Gill, Professor of Forestry, was placed before the BOM on September 29 last year.

However, the Board did not approve the appointment of Dr. Gill reportedly because it felt that there was little justification to fill the post of DSW on a regular basis.

The Board had reportedly set up a committee to determine whether it would be in the interest of the university to appoint a regular incumbent as DSW. At present charge of this post is with Dr K.S.Sekhon, Dean Postgraduate Studies.

The sports faculty of the university, has long been trying to convince the university authorities that the post of DSW should be earmarked for them. In this connection, they quote the names of outstanding sportsmen such as Mr Charanjit Singh and Mr Prithipal Singh, hockey Olympian, who has held this position in the past. Partially conceding their demand, the university created a new post of Joint Director of Sports and Cultural Activities.

Of the 21 teachers, Dr Malwinder Singh Tiwana is holding the charge of Additional Director of Research and Dr. S.P.S. Brar has been working as Additional Director of Extention Education for the last about 7 years. The list of candidates also includes some erstwhile sportsmen of the varsity including Dr Parminder singh Sidhu, Dr J.S. Kanwar, Dr M.S. Mahal and some others.

Some faculty members allege that the selection of Dr Gill has no longer remained valid because more than a year and a half has passed, since the selection committee recommended him for appointment. They say that according to the rules of the university the selection can be valid only upto a period of 6 months. hence, they say that the post ought to be notified again.

Dr S.S. Gill, when contacted said that, “My selection is still valid since, the BOM in its meeting on September 29 last year, had not rejected it. The Board has only deferred the matter.” Dr Gill was critical of the PAUTA leadership which according to him had been creating hurdles to his elevation to the prestigious position.

Seminar on primary education
From Our Correspondent

SAMRALA, Dec 18 — A seminar on primary education was held here today at a local hotel under the presidentship of Mr Bhupinder Singh Benipal, former chairman , Block Samiti, Samrala.

Two papers were presented on the state of primary education in the state by prominent writer Mr Sukhdev Singh (DIET), Jagraon, and Dr Gulzar Mohd. Goria.

The paper readers said the Punjab Government was spending only two and half per cent of the domestic budget on primary education. There were more than 1,200 primary schools without any teacher.

Among others who addressed the seminar were Mr Karnail Singh, Deputy Director, State Council of Research and Training, Smt Surjit Kaur Benipal, Principal, District Institute Education and Training, Jagraon, Block Primary Education Officer, Samrala and Mr Jagjit Singh.

Several political figures , social workers, ex-teachers and hundreds of primary teachers comprised the seminar audience.

Meanwhile, a poetry recitation competition will be held on December 24 at Senior Secondary School, Samrala by the Punjabi Lekhak Manch, according to Prof Baldeep Singh, President, Dr Gulzar Mohamad Goria Secretary of the Manch.

Both the office-bearers said the students upto class XII, can participate in the competition. The entry is totally free, they added.

A well-stocked college library
by Asha Ahuja

LUDHIANA, Dec 18 — SDP College library is not computerised, but it is well stocked with 24,570 books, and subscribes to 40 periodicals and magazines and seven newspapers for the benefit of 1600 students and 80 members of the college staff.

The books are kept in a hall which is somewhat dingy. It certainly could do with better lighting. It has three sets of encyclopaedias, a number of dictionaries and several reference books. The books are neatly stacked in almirahs and are clearly marked. According to the librarian, Mrs Balbir Kaur, who has been here since 1981, students consult the library regularly. In their free periods they read magazines and newspapers.

Ms Sudesh Bhalla, a lecturer in Hindi, said : “I find the library of immense help. I organise declamation contests, poetical recitation and similar contests and I get all the relevant material from the library.”

Sometimes, book exhibitions are held in the college for the benefit of the students. It also enables the library to buy books.

The rules and regulations to be followed in the library are displayed on a notice board. Another board displays the jackets of the latest arrivals.

The librarian further said that they got funds from the UGC to purchase books. Moreover, since they have the subject of functional Hindi, they get grants to buy Hindi books.