EDUCATION

35,000 vacant posts of teachers to be filled
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 9
Mr Harnam Dass Johar, Education Minister, Punjab, has disclosed that with a view to enhancing the standard of education in Punjab, all the 35,000 vacant posts of teachers in schools in the state were being filled as the government in a recent decision had lifted the ban on the recruitment.

Mr Johar was addressing a function after disbursing cheques of grants for the schools falling in his constituency in the Model Town here today. Grants amounting to Rs 1.20 lakh each were given to Government High School, Ambedkar Nagar, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar, for addition of an extra room and of Rs 35000 to Government High School for construction of toilets.

Mr Johar said that with the large number of posts lying vacant in the schools, the teaching environment was adversely affecting and now when the required number of teachers would be available in the schools, the government would administer strict vigilance to enhance the quality of education for the poor students who are studying in government schools.

The Education Minister further disclosed that the government had also decided to upgrade the infrastructure in the schools and sufficient funds for this purpose would be spent during the current financial year.

He informed that during last year additional classrooms have been provided in all primary schools as per the requirement and toilet blocks have also been constructed for the students.

He disclosed that for this purpose funds amounting to Rs 6 crore have been spent in Ludhiana district alone through the village level development and education committees based upon the representatives of different sections of people in the villages.

Mr Johar stressed upon the need to lay more emphasis upon the all round development of the students in the schools and informed that the government had earmarked funds amounting to Rs 4 crores for the development of sports in the schools.

Referring to the firm commitment of the Congress government headed by Capt Amarinder Singh, Mr Johar asserted that the government would not allow resurfacing of the activities of terrorists in the state at any cost, and charged the SAD leaders for raising the inflammatory issues like setting up of memorials of terrorists in the Golden Temple complex. He warned that the Akalis should refrain from such acts, as earlier too, such activities of raising the emotions of people had pushed the state to the black days of terrorism.

Referring to his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Johar said that people of J&K were fully supporting the forces working for the establishment of peace. He said that the terrorists activities in the J&K are on fast decline and hopped that the situation would improve considerably with the improvement in Indo-Pak relations.

Among others who were present on this occasion included Mr Maghar Singh Kaira, organiser Punjab Sewa Dal, Mr Rajiv Johar, Mr Hans Raj Gagat, Mr Jagdish Marwaha, Mr Brijmohan Sharma, president, BCC, Mrs Harvinder Kaur, DEO(P), Mrs Manjit Kaur Deputy DEO(S).

Schools introduce new concepts of teaching
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, July 9
Schools always introduce new curriculum, new ways of teaching in fresh academic session and soon after the schools close for summer vacations. Now that the schools have reopened, Ludhiana Tribune spoke to heads of a few schools to find out about new things and courses.

A new concept has been introduced by Principal RS Patial of DAV Public School. The students of different classes are given different weekly menus and the most wonderful thing is that students cook vegetables and roll chappaties themselves. Mr Patial shares lunch with 4 to 5 students, roll number wise. The teacher brings the cooked dal and ingredients to be used for ‘tadka’ like chopped onions, chillies, ginger etc. A gas is placed and the teacher demonstrates the way of putting ‘tadka’ and later the teacher has lunch with the class. Mr Patial said that he started this practice so that the students become self-sufficient.

Mr Kalia, Principal, BCM School, Chandigarh road, said: “We have started teaching environmental education to students of primary sections. An eco-friendly club has been formed. The members of the club will not only keep the school’s environment clean but they will go also make efforts to keep the mohallas clean. We have also adopted the hard system computer which facilitates teachers in teaching and supplements their lessons. Students from classes 1 to XII are benefited.

Sister Maria Lena, Principal of Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, said: “We have started a programme ‘Reaching Out’. In this the students visit slum areas and interact with children living there. The idea is to make them aware that as useful members of society, they should do something for their less fortunate brethren. They teach those students and carry gifts of books and notebooks for them. They also reach out to physically and mentally challenged students of Nirdosh and Ek Prayas. These children are initiated to participate in the functions arranged by them. They take care of these children and are able to give them some happiness by sharing things with them.”

Ms Paramjit Kaur of BCM School, Shastri Nagar, said: “We are continuing with our scheme of students of primary classes coming to the school without bags. We give them assignment sheets instead of notebooks. Each student has a locker to keep books. During weekends, the students may take books home. We have also started Computer-Aided Learning (CIL) classes for students of class 1 to XII. Punjabi, entrepreneurship and bio-technology have been introduced as elective subjects for classes XI and XII.

Protesting teachers held
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 9
As many as 200 teachers of Unemployed Elementary Teacher Union, including those who had come from Faridkot and Moga, met at Chattar Singh Park, Model Town here this afternoon as per schedule.

The teachers had met Cabinet ministers earlier on June 28 and submitted a charter of their demands , but since they received no response, the teachers decided to go on hunger strike. The teachers marched towards the residence of Mr H.D. Johar Education Minister, to pitch a tent and stage indefinite fast on July 9 and 10. They were staging a peaceful protest when they were taken away by the police in two buses to Sarabha Nagar Police Station.

The ETT teachers, as planned, had assembled at the local bus stand and from there they marched to Chattar Singh Park raising slogans. The police had cordoned of the area but they continued their march to Mr Johar’s House. They pitched a tent and Mr Jaswinder Singh, district president, Pawan Kumar Pamma, Jaswinder, Gurdip Singh, Paramjit Singh Machhiwara, Harinder Singh, Rajnish Kumar, Buta Singh Moga, Balbir Singh Dhanoti, Rupinder Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Rajiv Kumar and Arvinder Singh sat on a 24-hour fast which was cut short as they were taken away by the police.

Before his arrest, Mr Jaswinder Singh, while addressing the teachers said the government was purposely causing hurdles in the recruitment for 6,000 posts of teacher lying vacant.” We want the government to advertise these posts and fill in the vacancies. We will keep striking till our demands are met,” he said.

But the teachers were not allowed to protest and they were taken by the police in two buses to Sarabha Nagar Police Station. DSP R.K. Bakshi said as many a 150 teachers had been arrested for violating Section 144 imposed by District Magistrate. These teachers would be presented before Judicial Magistrate First Class for seeking a remand.

In a telephonic conversation Surinder Singh Grewal of the Democratic Teachers’ Front said the front supported the strike by ETT teachers and they too want that the 6000 vacant posts of teachers should be filled in after advertising for these posts.

BCA students’ preferred choice
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 9
A large number of students seeking admission in various colleges here, are opting for the BCA over other streams like medical, non-medical, arts etc. The managements of many colleges is finding it difficult to accommodate all BCA aspirants, who are much more in number than the seats allotted by the university. In government colleges where BCA was not available, students showed interest towards commerce.

In Arya College, students preferred BCA over all other streams. The college had been allotted 40 seats but the number of applications received was more than 100. As many as 38 students have already been given admission. Commerce stream remained the second choice among students. Dr S.M. Sharma, Principal, Arya College said the arts group was in demand but there was no rush for the science stream (BSc). “Seeing the changing trends, students have opted for computers,” said Dr Sharma.

One of the officials at SCD Government College said since they did not have BCA in the college, students preferred commerce stream. More than 900 forms were received by the college for a total of 210 seats. In arts, majority of students opted for postgraduation in English, economics and maths. Girls surpassed their male counterparts in postgraduation in all subjects.

Ms Manju Chawla, Principal, Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, said when BCA was started, the private college managements thought that the stream might not attract students. “But with the changing trends, focus has come on Information Technology and students make a beeline to get admission to the BCA. Since the process is based on merit, we had to reject many applications,” said Ms Chawla.

BCA remained hot favourite among both girls and boys at Kamla Lohia College here. Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, the Principal, Dr Deepak Kaushal, said that computer courses were becoming lucrative for youngsters. The 40 seats of BCA were filled immediately in the college.

Nidhi Thapar, a BCA aspirant, said that she chose BCA as she wanted to go abroad for further studies. “We cannot do anything if we do not know computers in the present scenario. One gets an opportunity to get good jobs after learning computer application. I have seen the doctors and engineers without jobs. It’s unfortunate that after spending and studying too much, they are not able to secure their future. But computer professionals had no dearth of jobs,” said Nidhi.

15 SBS students offered top industry posts
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 9
Synetic Business School (SBS), an initiative of management consultant and academician Dr M.A. Zahir has carved a niche in the industry by starting a unique two years Postgraduate Programme in Management (PGPM) which is an industry-sponsored, job oriented programme aimed to develop real time corporate managers for the industry.

The second batch of students three months certificate in management (CPM) of the SBS has bagged once again top placements in the industry. The programme attracted graduates and 15 students were selected who are now finally placed in various companies.

These students have been offered salaries in the range of Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 2,20,000 per annum.

The second major initiative which has received a big support of industrial houses is the PGPM. Students have shown tremendous interest in the PGPM. The admission is open for graduates. The first online admission test is slated to be held on July 10 at the institute premises followed by group discussion and interview.

The institute also plans to start courses in family business management, executive programme in business management for working executives and third batch of CPM in the near future.