EDUCATION

Teachers flay CM’s statement on privatisation
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, June 27
Mr Charan Singh Sarabha, general secretary, Government School Teachers Union, Payal, and state committee member of the Anti-Privatisation Adhyapak Morcha, Punjab, in a press note issued here, has termed the recent statement of the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, regarding handing over of government schools to private parties as irresponsible, baseless and ridiculous.

He said the Chief Minister talked of importing good education, but kept mum on the issue of filling 35,000 vacant posts of teachers which had been lying vacant for years. Every one knows that a minimum number of trained teachers and infrastructure were essential for quality education and both were lacking a large number from government schools.

Mr Sarabha said, “It has been accepted at the national level that acute poverty is one of the main reasons of child dropout and in government schools in Punjab children from such families come. The private schools admit children according to their options and standards, which poor students cannot afford”. The proposal of the committee, for giving incentives to children of government schools had been rejected by the Chief Minister.

He said, as per the decision of the morcha, protest rallies would be held on July 7,8 and 11 at all district head quarters and on July 26 in Chandigarh. A rally would be held at the mini-secretariat in Ludhiana on July 7.

Punjab Agricultural University scientist gets scholarship
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 27
Dr H S Dhaliwal, Senior Farm Economist, Department of Economics, PAU, Ludhiana, was awarded scholarship for participation in the executive development programme in international agriculture on food and agri-business management.

This prestigious programme was supported and co-sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The programme was jointly conducted by Commell University, Ithaca, New York, USA and Sathguru Management Consultants, Hyderabad, in two modules. The Indian module of the programme was held in Coonoor (Tamil Nadu) from May 16 to 21,2005 and the US module commenced on June 13 and concluded on June 23.

During the programme, the group was divided into three sub-groups. Each group was given a project to work upon. The projects were on milk and milk products, marine products and fruits and vegetables. Dr Dhaliwal’s group worked on fruits and vegetables. On the concluding day, presentations were held and the project on which his group worked was declared the best for which the group members were awarded certificates of appreciation.

This programme was attended by four IAS officers, one each from the Central Ministry of Food Processing, State Horticultural Department (AP), State Cooperation Department (Gujarat ) and AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation.

Senior officers from NABARD, APEDA and FCI also participated. Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agricultural. Sciences, Dharwad, Dean, PGS of Tamil Nadu Agricultural. University, Senior Scientist of ANGRAU, Hyderabad and eight persons from the prestigious national level private companies also attended this programme.

Programme on strategic management ends
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, June 27
The two-day faculty development programme (FDP) on Strategic Management jointly organised by the Punjab Commerce and Management Association and Department of Business Management, Punjab Agricultural University, concluded here today with the message that strategic issues were important in the fast-moving world, be it business organisation or educational set up.

Around 30 teachers from all over Punjab participated. The programme was inaugurated by Dr A.P.S. Mann, Dean, College of Basic Sciences, PAU. He stressed on the need to organise such programmes on regular basis because the fast changing information track needed upgradation of knowledge of teachers to make them more suitable for changing the paradigm of educational set-up in India.

Prominent speakers who addressed the participants included Mr D.L. Sharma, president, Vardhman Group of Industries, Dr Prem Kumar, Principal, Sri Aurobindo College of Commerce and Management, Dr S.K. Singla, Prof and Head, Department of Business Management, PAU, Dr D.R. Singh and Dr Sandeep Kapoor. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Singla said their department had chalked out various educational programmes for the college and university teachers in collaboration with the Punjab Commerce and Management Association to train teachers with new methods of teachings so that the vision of the President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, for 2020 could be given practical shape.

Prof Ashwani Bhalla, joint secretary, PCMA said the association had chalked out the calender of academic programmes for the 2005-06 which included national seminars on various issues, PCMA lecture series, workshops on case method of teaching and study tours for members of PCMA.

He said the PCMA was planning to organise a national seminar on ‘Merger and acquisitions in India’ on July 31 at Desh Bhagat Institute of Management and Computer Sciences, Mandi Goindgarh.

Similarly a two-day faculty development programme on ‘Teaching of Financial Accounting’ was also planned in the month of August at CT Institute of Management Jalandhar.

Former Registrar of Punjabi University, Patiala, Dr B.S. Bhatia, gave the valedictory address. 

Delayed results affect job prospects of candidates
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, June 27
Many students of MSc part II (Maths), who have cleared the UGC, are suffering as their applications for jobs are not being considered by various colleges because of the delayed results by Panjab University. The students alleged that university always gave a step-motherly treatment to maths students and they suffered at the hands of the latter.

Nidhi, who had cleared UGC in December last, said many colleges had invited applications for the posts of lecturer in maths and the interview process was in progress these days. But the applications of candidates who had taken MSc part II (Maths) examination this year, were rejected as their results were awaited. “These are rare opportunities. But we have not been considered by the colleges as we do not fulfil the conditions. The result of MSc part II is awaited”, said Ms Nidhi in a helpless manner.

Another candidate, Parminder Singh, said it was not the first time that the university gave such a treatment to the subject. The authorities always preferred to declare results of languages first. “The results are generally declared at the end of May or beginning of June, but June is about to end and there are no indications of results yet”, said Parminder Singh.

It may be mentioned here that some of the colleges have advertised regular posts but the brilliant students, who have cleared UGC and whose results are awaited feel helpless.

Meanwhile, Mr Sodhi Ram, Controller of Examination, Panjab University when contacted said results were being delayed because of certain complaints. “But we are going to declare the result very soon”, said Mr Sodhi Ram.