Tarn Taran, March 4
Mass copying was reported from several areas of border districts today during the examinations being conducted by Punjab School Education Board.
The Tribune team found staff of various government schools assisting students for copying in examinations in areas, including Patti, Tarn Taran, Ghariyala, Valtoha, Khemkaran, Bhikhiwind, Chhabal, Khadoor Sahib, besides other places.
It was seen that much planning had gone into various modes of copying with alleged connivance by students, parents and teachers, including in private schools, visited by the team.
In Government Secondary School, Patti, the main gate was kept locked. When a visitor approached the premises , a warning was sounded in the examination hall after the gatekeeper informed the Principal’s office.
While many school principals defended the copying as a result of inadequate staff in schools to complete the huge syllabi, the scene was chaotic as the ‘helpers’ far outnumbered the students sitting for examinations.
It was found that ‘slips’ for cheating were pre-formed with help of teachers and being provided at the time of examination. In some centres even books were allowed to be used by students even in presence of supervisory staff.
It was noticed that a majority of the supervisory staff for various examination centres was appointed from
the school itself. This was due to the fact that many teachers had opted out of supervisory duties as many of them faced suspension after being charged with assisting cheating in exams.
Mr Tarjinder Singh, Principal Ghariyala Government Secondary School-cum, Controller of Examination Centre of his school, said six supervisors were needed in the centre here for 244 examinees appearing for matriculation examination. “However, we were compelled to use four of our own staff to complete the requisite number despite writing for deputing staff to block elementary education officer and heads of different schools but no response was received. There was no women staff deputed despite 73 girl students appearing for examination”, he added.
Similar were the conditions at Government Secondary Schools at Valtoha, Bhikhiwind, Chabbal, Khadoor Sahib.
“The condition of government and other border village schools can be imagined from the fact that out of sanctioned posts of 26 teachers only six were there for last more than 10 years”, said Mr Savinder Pal Singh, Principal Khemkaran Government School.
Ms Narinder Kaur, a Principal of Government Girls School in the same area, stated that no lecturer had been appointed for school where six posts had been sanctioned.
Mr Mohan Singh Cheema, DEO, when contacted did not deny allegations of mass copying when confronted with facts.
