The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

EDUCATION

Johar gets rousing welcome
Tribune News Service

The newly appointed Minister for Higher Education, Mr Harnam Dass Johar, comes out from Durga Mata temple in Ludhiana on Saturday. — A Tribune photograph

Ludhiana, March 15
Mr Harnam Dass Johar, the newly appointed Minister for Higher Education, was today accorded a rousing reception on his arrival in Ludhiana, after assuming charge as a minister. He said that with a view to enhancing the standard of education in all universities and colleges of the state to international levels, the required infrastructure and latest technology would be provided.

Mr Johar asserted that the shortage of teachers in the colleges and universities would be met by recruiting new staff as per the requirement. Mr Johar exhorted the officers of all departments to implement the policies and programmes of the government earnestly.

Referring to the anti-corruption drive launched by the government, the minister said the drive would be further strengthened and that corruption would not be tolerated at any level. He asked the officers to cooperate with the government to eliminate the menace of corruption and to accord top priority to the redressal of genuine complaints of the people.

Mr Johar was received at Samrala Chowk and taken to Campa Cola Chowk and other places in the city in an impressive procession led by band and party workers. He paid obeisance at various religious places, including Gurdwara Mastuana, Dugri Road; Sri Krishna Mandir Model Town; Sanatan Dharan Mandir; Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Harnam Nagar; Durga Mata Mandir, Jagraon Bridge; Dandi Swami Mandir and Gurdwara Mai Harnam Kaur, Ghumarmandi, where he was received by members of the managing committees and presented Siropas and parshad.

In the Jawar Nagar Camp area, enthusiastic workers and people, including a large number of women were continuously raising slogans in favour of Mr Johar and Punjab CM, Capt Amarinder Singh, The Deputy Commissioner, while welcoming the minister, assured full cooperation on behalf of the officers with regard to the implementation of various programmes.

Later, addressing the Congress workers at the Congress Committee office, Mr Johar called upon them to work as watchdogs for implementing the government policies and programmes. He asked them to apprise the government about the corrupt officers and employees so that they could be suitably punished . Meanwhile, educationists have hailed his appointment as the cabinet minister for higher education. We do hope that his appointment would bring positive changes in the policies of the government regarding higher education as Mr Johar has handled the ministry earlier too and is well aware of the problems at the grassroots,” said Ms Harmeet Kaur, Principal Ramgarhia Girls College and Mr BD Buddhiraja, Principal Kamla Lotia SD College.

Mr Budhiraja said he hoped that Mr Johar would also push the notification of UGC of 1996 that said that the Central Government would meet 80 per cent expenses and the Punjab Government the rest of the 20 per cent expenses of teachers’ salaries.

Similarly, Teachers’ Cell of the Punjab Pradesh Mahila Congress (I) has hailed Mr H.D. Johar’s appointment.

Hobby classes for children
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 15
An idle man's brain is a devil’s workshop. This is probably what most parents seem to believe. Trying to channel energy of their kids to some creative pursuit in this pre-session break in schools, many parents are sending them to hobby classes.

Coinciding with the schedule of the schools where examination will be over this weekend and the next session will begin in the first week of April, most of these hobby classes will begin Monday onwards for a fortnight. Various clubs and schools offering such classes will engage children in an array of activities ranging from drawing, craft, dance, music, computer education to even personality development.

All such activities will be similar to the one held in summer camps with the only difference that the duration will be shorter this time. Besides keeping the kids busy, the classes will help them polish their creativity and display their talents in the activity of their choice.

At Love Dale Montessori Home the classes will begin from March 19. There will be two batches of two hours duration each, one in the morning and another in the evening. The activities will include creative and classical dance, drawing, craft and computer education and the age group will be four to 10 years. Ms Pritima Behl, Principal, says the first preference will be given to the kids who are members of the Love Dale Kids Club and the remaining seats would then be open to outsiders. She also says the club members will be allowed to attend classes free of any additional charges.

At Pooh’s and Tweeties Nursery School, there will be dance and drawing classes for kids of four to 12 years from March 19 onwards. Ms Vanita, in charge, says the kids of age group below seven years will be taught simple steps on latest movie songs while elder children will be taught fast steps on western mixed music. In drawing classes, the kids will learn free hand sketching along with different colouring schemes, she adds.

At Maya Nagar, a group of young women have organised a centre where the children of similar age group will be given training in dance, music, drawing and English speaking. Interestingly, the centre also imparts training to children for seeking admission to boarding schools.

The parents, too, seem to be happy to have hobby classes at this time. Ranjana, a working mother, says it has been three days that her daughter is having holidays. ‘‘Since we both are working and are not able to spare holidays these days, we decided to instead send her to these classes so that she remains busy’’, she says.