Jobless teachers flay Johar’s statement
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 25
Mr Jaswinder Singh Sidhu, district president, Unemployed Elementary Teachers Union, who is in jail, in a press note stated that the teachers were shocked at the statement made by Mr Harnam Dass Johar, Education Minister, yesterday in which he disassociated himself and his department with the unemployed teachers.

He blamed the unemployed teachers for staging a dharna outside his house in July. Mr Johar had said that these people are just like other unemployed educated people of different trades and if they had any problem, it should be addressed to the Labour Department.

On that day 94 male teachers and 56 women teachers were arrested under Section 188 of IPC. Mr Sidhu criticised the statement of Mr Johar as he said was since the ETT teachers had completed their studies on the guidelines provided by the government they had been assured jobs by the government.

The Government had assured the ETT teachers that they would get jobs and serve in the rural areas for the first two years which they were willing to do. Mr Johar also said that now the ban on recruitment of teachers had been lifted and 35,000 vacancies. Whom would the minister employ to fulfill the vacancies, doctors or engineers, Mr Sidhu asked.

On July 9 the ETT teachers had staged dharnas in front of houses of all Cabinet ministers, but only Mr Johar had been very upset about it said Mr Sidhu. The unemployed teachers had many rounds of talks with Mr Johar and had met twice with the Chief Minister in the last 15 months. Mr Johar had now passed the buck to Mr Amrinder Singh and said that filling of vacancies was in his hands.

Meanwhile, in another press by leaders of unemployed ETTU from Central jail, said that three teachers Jaspal Kaler, Kulwant and Rupinder Moga had been sent back to the Central Jail from the Civil Hospital forcibly although they had not completely recovered. Other leader Jaswinder Singh Sidhu, Paramjit Machiwara, Rajeev Kumar and Sandeep Singh were still in Civil Hospital. 

BJP backs striking ETT teachers
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 25
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, led by a former Deputy Speaker, Mr Satpal Gosain, and the district president, Dr Subash Verma, today met the agitating and hospitalised unemployed elementary trained “teachers”. They criticised the government for being “too cruel and harsh” towards the ETT teachers, who have been demanding their rightful due.

The BJP leaders used the occasion to lash out at the Congress government in the state. Mr Gosain alleged that the Congress government had proved to be a “complete failure“. He pointed out that the Congress had promised in its manifesto that it would remove unemployment and provide jobs to the unemployed educated youth. However, it had not been able to provide jobs even to the professionally trained people like ETT teachers.

The BJP leaders promised the ETT teachers that they would extend all kind of support to them. They said as the days of the Congress government were numbered, once the BJP and the Akalis came to power, all ETT teachers would be provided jobs. Mr Gosain said it was the responsibility of every right-thinking person, particularly leaders of the political parties, to provide an ear to the agitating ETT teachers.

Tanvi wins on-the-spot painting contest 
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 25
New Senior Secondary School, Sarabha Nagar, held an on-the-spot painting competition’ here today. The function was presided over by the school principal, Mr H C Gupta. The function started with the lighting of lamp followed by singing of “Vande Maatram.”

The competition was divided into A, B and C groups. “A” group consisted of classes II -V, “B” group classes VI-VIII and ‘C’ group classes IX-X.

In all, 145 students took part. Topics for the three groups were as under:-

Group A- any scene, group B- figure drawing, and C- pollution, drugs and dowry.

The students took almost 3 hours to complete their paintings.

The competition was superwised by Art and Craft teacher Ms Simta. The results were as under:-

Group A — Tanvi Sharma Ist, Bikramjit Singh-2nd and Charan Kawal 3rd.

Group B- Deepa Ist, Sandeep Kumar 2nd, and Manpreet Kaur 3rd.

Group C — Ripjit Singh Ist, Lovish Kapoor 2nd, and Kamalpreet 3rd. 

Workshop for principals
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 25
A workshop on computer-aided learning for principals and administrators of CBSE schools of Punjab was conducted by BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, here in collaboration with Designmate.

It was organised keeping in mind the need for imparting education through educational technology. Mr Satyanandji Munjal, Managing Director, Hero Cycles Ltd, was the chief guest.

Pensioners flay move on aided schools
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 25
The Punjab Government’s reported move to reduce grant to 430 Government-aided private schools in urban areas and also to delink the pay and allowances of their staff from that of their counterparts in government schools is ill-advised and most unfortunate,” says a press note issued by the Govt Pensioners’ Association.