EDUCATION

Examinees forced to squat on floor due to lack of infrastructure
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, March 28
Even as the state government claims to have increased its budget for the development of infrastructure in the education sector, the Education Department has failed to provide basic facilities like chairs and tables for the examinees during the Board examination at several centres in the district.

According to a report, the examinees have to squat on the floors to write their papers at several centres in the district.

Sources revealed that a similar situation prevails in the nearby districts. There are some centres in the district where the examinees have been made to sit on the floor in verandas due to the shortage of rooms.

A girl examinee of Class X said that most of the students who are appearing in the ongoing annual examinations were forced to sit on the floor. In effect, the students are unable to put in their best due to the inconvenience caused to them.

It is also revealed that several of the school buildings are poorly lit and lack other basic facilities including drinking water and proper toilets.

Even in normal time, students in primary, middle and high schools have been forced to sit on the floor, ‘Taat’ or ‘Chatai’ while attending classes.

The members of the ‘Parents Welfare Association’ blamed the governments over the years for failing to improve the standard of infrastructure in the schools.

They regretted that despite the increase in budget for education, the standard of education as well as the infrastructure had failed to improve in the state.

They said it was ridiculous for a state, which claims to be one of most developed states in the country, not to have even basic infrastructure for the students sitting for the Board examinations.

The association claimed that due to the poor progress on this front, the number of students enrolled in the primary, middle and higher secondary schools run by the government has been on the decline. As a result, the people were forced to send their wards to the private schools.

One of the main reason for this situation was the fact that there was no incentive for the senior officials to improve the condition of these government-run schools as they sent their children to study in private schools.

Even though the wives of the officials work as teachers in government schools, they send their wards to public schools, the association added.

50 protesting teachers detained outside Maitreyi College
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 28
As many as 50 teachers bearing allegiance to the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) were detained by the police this morning while they were demonstrating outside Maitreyi College. They staged the demonstration there against the Vice-Chancellor’s decision to conduct interviews for the post of Principal of the college.

The teachers alleged the process of appointing the Principal was totally wrong and hence the appointment was illegal. The teachers alleged that the matter of appointment of the Principal was not discussed in the Academic College meeting that took place during the recent past.

According to the DUTA president, Dr Aditya Narayan Misra, “The matter of the appointment of the candidate for the post of Principal should be discussed in the AC meeting as it is written in the university statute. It was mandatory but was not followed by Vice-Chancellor Deepak Nayyar.”

He added, ‘Under the statute, the selection committee would have a university nominee on the governing body and at least one nominee of the Academic Council. However, in the composition notified without approval of Academic Council (AC), the categories specified in the statute are missing.’

Dr Misra said DUTA had also decided to hold a one-week relay fast at the VC’s office and a demonstration at his residence-cum-office to protest against the arbitrary functioning of the VC.

SCHOOL BUZZ
Sports day function marked by foot-tapping dance number
Smriti Kak Ramachandran

GHPS, Kalkaji, organised a sport’s day for the nursery section. Youngsters performed interesting feats with zeal. There were races, including the banana race, the jigsaw puzzle race and stringing the beads race.

A foot tapping dance number was also presented on the occasion. The chairman of the school, Mr. Avtar Singh, the Treasurer, Mr. Hardit Singh and the Principal, Mr. Kirpal Singh, were among those present. The winners were felicitated in an awards ceremony.

A child during the ‘Shemrock Mega Showcase 2004’

Shemrock showcase

The Shemrock Group of schools organised the ‘Shemrock Mega Showcase 2004’, where all the branches from the NCR participated. The week-long cultural function at the Sri Satya Sai Auditorium in Lodhi Road was a showcase of talents.

From a rain dance to guriya ki shaadi, the kids proved their mettle.

CBSE quiz

The Central Board of Secondary Education would conduct the first ever Science Quiz on April 25 for its affiliated schools.

The last date for applications for the quiz by students from class IX to XII has been extended upto April 2. The three-phase quiz, being held in collaboration with Intel India, would consist of a written quiz and oral quiz at the regional level, to be followed by a final at the national level.

Each school is allowed to sponsor three students.

Impression 2004

Students of Sapphire International School, Anand Vihar, enacting a play during their annual function.

Sapphire International School, Anand Vihar, celebrated its first annual function, ‘Impressions 2004,’ at the Shah Auditorium. A series of programmes, including plays and dance numbers, were staged by the children.

The students also expressed their love for their motherland in a special programme titled, ‘Festivals of India’. The cultural programme was followed by the annual report and the rendition of the Vande Matram.

The Minister of State for Small Scale Industries, Mr. Sang Priya Gautam, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Among those present were former Education Minister, Mr. Narendra Nath, MLA Ram Niwas Goel and Mr. Anil Gupta.

Design studio

Claiming to be the first school in the country to implement Design and Technology subject for students, Pathways World School has inaugurated its first state-of-the-art Design and Technology studio. The studio was inaugurated by Dr. Monique Brouillet Seefried, President of the Council of Foundation, and Ms. Judith Guy, Regional Director of International Baccalaureate Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

The school also claims that its Design Studio is “equal to and even surpasses many D&T studios in the UK”. Their Design and Technology studio has the latest CAD/ CAM (computer aided design/computer aided manufacture) software for design applications, to be used by students from grade IV-XII.

Speaking on the studio, Mrs. Lalage Prabhu, Principal, Pathways World School said, “The Design and Technology studio is in sync with the International Baccalaureate philosophy and once again puts Pathways on the global map for imparting quality training to its students pursuing design & technology, a subject that students start exploring from as early as grade IV onwards”

The Pathways Design & Technology Curriculum has a planned range of balanced practice-based project activities which include Design and Make Assignments (DMAs), Focused Practical Tasks (FPTs) and Investigation, Disassembly, Evaluation and Applications (IDEAS) of new and familiar products. These programmes will deliver opportunities to work with compliant and resistant materials as well as electronic components and have inherent provision for assessment through a variety of methods such as formative and summate assessment.

The pioneering new D&T workshop will also run an educational C.A.D. software programme, “Pro-desktop”, a programme endorsed by the British Government and taught to the majority of Design & Technology students in the UK. This programme is interfaced with a C.A.M. machine such as a cutter/plotter or milling machine where the students’ designs can be instantly realised by the touch of a button from the computer.

DPS dance drama

Children of DPS, Ibtida Shiksha Kendra, staging a play on their annual day.

DPS Ibtida Shiksha Kendra celebrated its annual day here recently. The students put up a spectacular show of dances, music and drama. A dance drama, ‘Ritu Rang Jeevan ke Sang,’ was well appreciated by the audience. It highlighted the importance of Mother Nature and the values imbibed from it.

Principal M I Hussain in his address said that the Shiksha Kendra provides an emotionally and physically sustainable environment to train children to be good citizens. Former cricketer Kapil Dev was the chief guest on the occasion.

Gurukul annual day

Gurukul International Play School, Rajouri Garden, and Pitampura celebrated their annual day. Director V K Pasricha lit the inaugural lamp.

Students put up plays on environment and terrorism as well as snippets from popular tele serials.

PRINCIPALSPEAK
Winning Hearts…

The aptly titled ‘friendship cricket series’ has truly won our hearts, not only because we lifted the Cup in ODIs, but more importantly because people of Pakistan have shown so much love and given us a place in their hearth and hearts. The people of both the countries have shown a genuine desire for peace, amity and harmonious co-existence, casting aside years of bitterness. A year back, the whole world had risen in one voice against the declaration of war on Iraq, proving that while political designs have a clout and reek of profits, peoples’ voice has deep concern for humanity. Time and again people have shown that they can easily override baser passions fuelled by vested powers.

Madhu Chandra
Principal
Birla Vidya Niketan