M A I L B A G

Punjab must tone up education system

The Punjab Government’s decision to close down all government schools having a strength of 50 or less students under the strategy of restructuring school education is a right step and in the interest of the state as well as students. It will check a huge wastage of funds. Opening such schools would have certainly been the outcome of appeasement of voters. The time has come when political parties must shun their populist approach.

Most government schools have earned notoriety for imparting substandard education. Quality education is the fundamental right of students, which at present is not available. There is need for not only closing down sick schools but also toning up school as well as college education. The government must evolve an extensive strategy to restructure the entire education system.

Also the idea of the Punjab Government to introduce a comprehensive piece of legislation to check the mushrooming of teaching shops, better known as private or public schools, is commendable if some concrete steps are taken sincerely.

RAM PRAKSH KHANNA, Dharamshala

Corruption in India

Apropos of the news “India among 55 most corrupt countries” (The Tribune, Oct 21), it is shameful that the land of rishis and munis, of Lord Rama and Krishna, of the Budha and Gandhi, of religious preachers and Gurus is among the most corrupt countries of the world. We should hang our head in shame as we occupy a prominent place in the list of most corrupt nations.

The men of integrity fight shy of joining politics, and the corrupt and criminals rule the roost. An honest person is called a nincompoop because he does not want to come to the forefront.

We have reached the nadir of our moral and ethical values.

Corruption is eating into the vitals of our nation. We must do something expeditiously to root it out.

G.R. KALRA, Chandigarh

Veerappan’s death

The Special Task Force did a great job by eliminating Veerappan. The killing has proved that evil has to come to an end one day. The nation salutes all those brave STF men who took part in the encounter with the bandit.

MOHD. SHAFI, Rohtak

Save old structures

The editorial “Collapse of flyover” (Oct 23) rightly highlights the deplorable condition of numerous bridges, public buildings and monuments in our country. Usually, old government buildings are allowed to decay which otherwise could be saved through minor renovations costing a fraction of what spent is later on demolishing them and constructing new ones in their place; all at public expense.

We can learn a point or two from our neighbour in this regard. During a visit to Pakistan earlier this year, I noticed that most of the colonial structures had been maintained well to this date. For example, the district court complex at Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, both built more than 75 years ago, look as if they are merely a decade old.

Also the pre-partition religious buildings of the evacuees are preserved, though most of them are being used for non-religious purposes like police stations, schools and government offices.

MANJITINDER SINGH JOHAL, V.P.O. Mandianai, Ludhiana