EDUCATION

Teachers oppose ‘saffronisation’ of education
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 5
On the occasion of Teachers’ Day today, hundreds of teachers protested against the alleged saffronisation of education by the Union Government. Teachers staged a dharna in front of the Mini-Secretariat on call of the Government Teachers Union, Punjab, to observe Teachers’ Day as “Adhyapak jago te vidya bachao divas.”

Addressing the teachers, Mr Jagdev Singh Garcha, district president of the union, expressed his regrets that the education has been commercialised and saffronised by the government. Further, it has gone out of reach for the common person ever since it has been privatised. He said, “More than 50 per cent of the population is already illiterate in the country and the privatisation would further make it difficult for the common people to educate their children.”

Mr Harinder Singh Mangat, general secretary of the union, regretted that the government was running away from its constitutional duty to provide universal free and quality education. The Constitution has directed the state to ensure education for all children in the country, but nothing has been done by the present government. He spoke about the importance of Teachers’ Day and the role of teachers in society.

The speakers resented that the teaching community was facing number of problems such as transfers, non-teaching work and lack of timely payment of salaries. They urged the government to ensure the dignity of the teachers in society and the speedy settlement of the ACP cases. 

Kiran declared best artist
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 5
Class XII students of commercial arts at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, participated in a painting competition here today.

The students displayed their paintings in oil and water colours. Kiran was given the best artist award by Ms Bably S. Singh, a renowned artist, for her painting, “Peace”. Reena made oil paintings, “Alpine Beauty”, “Blooming Daisies” and water paintings, “Far From Noise” and “Crossing Over Heavenwards”!

Paintings on moral stories, including the fox and the grapes and two silly goats by Rajdeep and Tamanna, respectively, were exhibited. Coloured letter heads made by the students using computer were also displayed. Seema made a water colour painting, “In the lap of nature”, and Pawan used oil colour technique as she displayed her painting, “Snow And Ice Shore”.

Mr Jaspreet Mohan Singh, national award winning teacher of the school, used spray technique in his paintings, “Harmony”, “Rising From Abyss” and “Hounded She”. Ms Harvinderjeet Cheema, officiating principal, inaugurated the exhibition. 

DMCH students win quiz contest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 5
Students of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital won the National Neo-natalogy Forum Post- Graduate Quiz contest organised by the Department of Paediatrics of the DMCH, at the Dumra Auditorium.

The participants from five medical colleges from the Northern region including the DMCH, Ludhiana, PGI Chandigarh, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Government Medical College Patiala and Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, took part in the contest.

Dr Daljit Singh, Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics, DMCH, conducted the quiz. The team of DMCH including Dr Gurbakshish Singh Sidhu and Dr Rajan Arora came first securing 90 points. The team from GMC, Patiala, stood second with 85 points and students of CMC, Ludhiana, and the PGI, Chandigarh, secured the third position by securing 40 points each.

Dr H.S.Bains, Reader in Paediatrics, department, was the divisional co-ordinator on the occasion. 

COURTS

Punished for bounced cheque
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 5
Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Mr R.K. Sharma, has convicted Rajinder Sharma, Manager of the Memorial Finance and Investment here, in a case of dishonoured cheque. He awarded him a six-month imprisonment and a Rs 1,000 fine. The complaint against the manager had been lodged by a man called Gurmeet Singh. He had alleged that the manager had issued him a cheque for Rs 8,354 with the assurance that it would be honoured.