EDUCATION

Schools clueless over new subjects
No guidelines from education board
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, July 5
Though a quarter of the academic session has passed, heads of the schools affiliated with the Punjab School Education Board, SAS Nagar, are confused over the teaching of Municipal Solid Waste-Environment Awareness which has been introduced as a subject for the first time in the curriculum. Perusal of the circular issued by the Board to these schools reveals that the subject has been introduced for students of class IV to class VIII on the directions of the court.

Mr Dharam Paul Sharma, member of the Ahmedgarh Vidya Parcharak Sabha, said the Director (Academic), Punjab School Education Board, had informed all heads of the schools affiliated with the board in April that Environment Education and Municipal Solid Waste-Environment Awareness, had been introduced. Environment Education replaced social studies and science for classes 1 to III whereas the latter was added to the syllabi of class IV to class VIII. He said, “Though the circular stated that a detailed booklet on the subject was being published but no school is learnt to have received it. Moreover, no book on the subject is available. Mr Sharma further showed concern over the delay in communication about the mode of examination as schools had not received proper information and guidelines whether the subject was optional or compulsory and how the practical work was to be done”.

Mr Rajnish Sharma, president, Municipal Council and patron of the Ahmedgarh Vidya Parcharak Sabha, appreciated the state government’s move to introduce the subject in schools. He stated, “The board has taken a lead in implementing the orders of the state Education Department by introducing the subject from the ensuing academic session.

It would create awareness among students about solid waste disposal and protection of environment, he said. Students would also play a role in maintaining cleanliness by suggesting better measures to the local bodies. He urged the board authorities to expedite the process of teaching subject to students, who would further impress upon their parents and teachers to play their role in keeping their respective towns and cities clean.

Probe demanded in admission fee racket 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 5
Vigilance sleuths had raided SDP Senior Secondary School, Hazoori Road, on Thursday as it was brought to the notice of Vigilance officials by Mr Suresh Gupta, president, Ludhiana Sewa Sangh, that the school management was charging more fee than fixed for admissions. It is a private aided school and gets 95 per cent aid from the government.

The sangh had filed a writ petition in the high court against the practice of private aided schools of charging excessive fee, and the high court, in its decision on December 8, 1999, had given directions to these schools to charge a fixed amount of fee. Regretfully, however, the private schools have not adhered to the decision of high court. The sangh has taken upon itself to help the common people who are fleeced by the school authorities.

In this connection, the Vigilance Department was informed by sangh members on January 28 that SD Girls Senior Secondary School, Trunk Bazaar, had been charging excessive fee. Vigilance sleuths raided the school and irregularities worth of lakhs were found. He again, powerful members of the management had managed to get off the hook due to political pressure. Incensed members of the management of the school had got registered a false FIR against the sangh members on January 30 at Division No 3.

Now that history has repeated itself, the sangh members fear that powerful people managing the schools will again be successful in lodging an FIR against them and hence Mr Gupta has appealed to the SSP not to lodge an FIR against the sangh members on such false complaints. He has asked ‘him to conduct an inquiry before taking any step. The sangh members have appealed to the SSP that their sole aim is to end corrupt practises in aided schools and they have no personal axe to grind.

The sangh has also written a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anurag Verma, drawing his attention to the corrupt practices being followed by the private aided schools at the time of admissions. They have said that private schools are making money to the tune of crores. Corruption is rampant in these schools and an honest officer should head an inquiry to expose the mafia that is active in collecting money at the admission time. There are 468 aided schools and members of the management of these schools are amassing wealth by fleecing the poor parents of wards who seek admission to these schools.

The sangh members claim that they have original forms of certain schools on which members of management have given some discount on the exorbitant fee charged by them. This proves that the students are being charged more than the fixed amount of fee.

The fee structure of the aided school is as low as Rs 5 for class I and goes up to Rs 90 for senior classes. Yet these students are asked to pay more than a thousand rupees. The sang members have urged the Deputy Commissioner to order a probe into the matter.

BBA, BCA aspirants likely to get admission
Deepkamal Kaur

Ludhiana, July 5
Admission to BBA and BCA courses in colleges will be a cakewalk this year. There are as many aspirants as the number of seats in almost all local colleges affiliated with Punjab Technical University.

While the exact picture would be clear only on July 6 when the colleges would put up the merit list of the eligible candidates, but from the number of applications received in the colleges, it is evident that almost all applicants would be able to seek admission to the desired courses.

The Institute of Management Studies (IMS), Model Town, has 30 seats each in BBA and BCA courses and the number of applications received is exactly the same in both courses. Col H.S. Singha, Director, said the response to the courses was relatively feeble this year as there were more applicants last time.

Similarly, in the Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology, Model Town, there are 60 seats in BBA and 120 in BCA and the number of applicants is the same here again. Dr A.S. Bansal said almost all candidates could be sure of getting admission under such circumstances. He said the last date for receiving applications was June 30 and his staff was still going through the forms to check if these were complete and the candidates fulfilled the eligibility criteria.

At the Punjab College of Technical Education, BBA has 60 seats and BCA 120 seats and the college has received 205 applications in all. Dr K.N.S. Kang, Director of the college, said some of the candidates tried for admission elsewhere too and so did not turn up for counselling. He said though the picture would be clear on July 8 when the counselling began but he hoped that almost all students coming for counselling would be able to get admission in the college.

Contrary to the scenario in other colleges, the Gujranwala Guru Nanak Institute of Management and Technology (GGNIMT) has received applications double the number of seats. Prof G.S. Dua, Coordinator of the college, said 350 candidates had applied for the courses whereas the number of seats in BCA was 120 and in BBA, it was 60. Therefore, he expected a stiff competition for admission to the courses in his college.