Chandigarh, March 2
With service as the motto and compassion as the spirit, Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Sector 26, today opened its doors to embrace underprivileged children from Bapu Dham Colony — promising hope of a brighter tomorrow and steering lives from darkness of illiteracy to the light of education.

Synonymous with the values of service and compassion towards the less fortunate, the school management admitted 200 children of various age groups from the colony to “Sahodaya”, an evening school, which was launched by Ms Jean Rodrigues, wife of Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, at a function here.

The “adoption” by school sure did bring cheer to children like Kamini and Saraswati who were overjoyed to be in school waiting for a whole new world to open up for them with education.

A daily wager’s daughter and one of five siblings, Kamini says she wanted to go to school but poor finances didn’t permit education.

“All five of us would while away our time at home. I am happy to be here,” she remarks.

Similar feelings were echoed by other students who joined the school.

“Sahodaya” is a labour of love for the nuns who are excited about this new chapter in the school’s history, which is addition to the successfully running parallel Hindi medium school on the premises during regular school hours.

“There are so many children waiting to be educated in slums and colonies. During the survey carried out by our teachers in Bapu Dham, children clung to the teachers, unwilling to let go and wanting to study. We could not turn our backs on them. So, we have identified 200 children who will be prepared for the open school examination in the evening classes. This education will be free of cost but there will be no compromise on quality,” the Principal, Sister Sebastina, said.

Ms Rodrigues awarded meritorious students and gave away the prizes to outstanding achievers in the field of sports, academics and extracurricular activities.

The teachers and supporting staff were also honoured for their professional competence and regularity in service.

The students presented “Blossom”, a colourful programme of songs and dances, which enthralled the audience.

Chandigarh, March 2
At the recently held 3rd National Abacus Competition in New Delhi, city-based Saksham Dhamija bagged the champion trophy.

While four city students from BrainOBrain participated in the event and were supposed to solve 60 arithmetic problems in three minutes, the gold medal in the topper category was won by Rewant Mehra.

The other two participants, Navjit Singh and Archita Thakur also received the achiever certificates.

The Chinese Abacus Mental Arithmetic Programme helps the children between the age group of 5-14 years in improving memory and concentration.

Chandigarh, March 2
It was a journey to the grassroots for many students as bhangra, giddha and other folk dance teams from across the region brought them closer to their tradition during the Panjab University’s annual fest 'Jhankar'.

As the thumping beats of music filtered out of the Law Auditorium, even before the fest kicked off this morning; students and more students, rushed to savour the action before the footlights.

No wonder, by noon, the auditorium was jampacked with hardly any breathing space, forcing the spectators to either sit on the staircase, or else stand in the crowded corridors.

For the girls, gaining entry into the auditorium became nothing less than an ordeal as they tried to find their way through the jostling crowd.

The presence of men-in-khakis armed with semi-automatic guns and escorting the VIP guests only made the matters worse for them.

They also made some of the students question the logic behind calling MLAs and other bureaucrats as guests of honour for functions.

“Jhankar is a democratic function of the students, for the students and by the students. So why call politicians, instead of academicians and the alumni as esteemed guests?” questioned BA first-year student Rajiv Sharma.

At stage — a thunderous applause echoed in the decked-up auditorium as girls clad in glittery yellow and red lehengas descended upon the stage for giddha.

Their tender feet swayed in sync with the regular dhol beats as they twirled all around the stage clapping, merrily and gorgeously.

Deafening din of whistles drowned the excited shrieks as they crooned a wedding song before dancing to the rhythm of traditional Punjabi numbers.

Teams came and teams went, but the enthusiasm remained the same.

As a solo-singer in a pink kurta over a black-printed dhoti, with a string of beads dangling from his neck, sang Mirza, the crowd went almost out of control with excitement.

But for some of the former students in the auditorium, the old charm was missing. In fact, some of them found the couplets delivered by the anchors nothing less than sickening.

“Can you beat it; the anchors were actually reciting verses in praise of liquor during students’ festival,” said Dinesh Goyal, a former student now working with a multinational organisation.

“In our university days also, the anchors would recite couplets, but they were little more decent and sophisticated".

Organised by the Students’ Council of Panjab University, teams from eight to 10 colleges participated in each item during the festival organised to commemorate the spirit of youth and also to bring the students of this and the other universities closer.

In the paiting competition, the Government College, Sector 46, bagged the first position.

The other results are — Painting face: Gurpreet of Ludhiana Government College; Rangoli: Mamta of Ferozepore's Dev Samaj College; Folk Song: Gurmeet of Ludhiana; Folk Dance: Guru Hargobind College, Sarsadhar.

Chandigarh: March 2
Set against the backdrop of animal cut-outs in the intimacy of the school library, students of Strawberry Fields Kindergarten enthralled parents with their collection of foot-tapping rhymes, vintage songs and meaningful prayers, this morning.

Coinciding with the seasonal changes, these twice-a-year musical weeks bring with them a whiff of freshness, optimism and positive feelings.

Parents are greeted with the sights and sounds of nature as they enter the gate, letting the sounds of music guide them to the venue of the singing fiesta. The backdrop done by the teachers helps them to associate the concepts introduced in the songs.

Every year new songs are introduced and class activities are altered to enable students use music, dance, rhythm and movement as an aid to the learning process. Curtains are unveiled at the musical morning with “Be careful little hands”, “God’s love”, “Little Peter rabbit” and “Five current buns” amongst many others. Songs are simple with uncomplicated lyrics touching upon routine matters of daily existence.

Accordingly to the Director of the school, Mr. Atul Khanna: “Our musical weeks have a freshness and novelty, because every year, the children are different.

On our part we try to ensure that music be the catalyst via which the students learn new things, increase their vocabulary, better their pronunciation and most importantly, weave in moral science messages in a playful interactive way.”

Chandigarh, March 2
With a number of new schools opening up in the tricity in the coming days, students will move much ahead from mere classroom teaching and scoring high grades to having a global exposure with facilities which are promised to be unique.

The British School, which opens in Mohali in the new session, enjoys its affiliation with the University of Cambridge, International Examinations, UK.

According to the school coordinator, Mr Balwinder Ahuja, the curriculum prescribed by the Cambridge International Primary Programme (CIPP) and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) blends with the Indian ethos enabling its students to have the best of the two worlds for them.

The school's unique feature also includes e-tracking of the students performance which would help the parents keep a track of their wards' overall development online.

This would also facilitate the students being connected with not only the Indian students studying the IGCSE system, but also the foreign students doing the same course, thereby enhancing the exposure level.

Another school which will open up in Chandigarh, Sector 46, is the Kundan Vidya Mandir High School.

The school was first opened in Ludhiana in 1941 and was the first in Punjab to get affiliated to the CBSE.

Talking to the Chandigarh Tribune over phone from New Delhi, Mr M.P. Gupta, Chairman of the Kundan Lal Trust, informed that the school was taking the services of Mr Shomi Das as an educational consultant who has been a former principal of the Doon School for 10 years and has also served at Sanawar and Mayo College.

Mr Gupta further added that the school was trying to get affiliated to IBB, a Geneva-based organisation and would have an international curriculum for its students.

"Students these days have worldwide ambitions and to provide them global exposure is the need of the hour,'' he added.

At Panchkula, Blooms'a state-of-the-art kindergarten school, which has started enrolment for the new session, all the classes are equipped with a computer and a television.

Ritu Singh, Director of the school informed, that all the classes were air-conditioned and new softwares were being used as a medium of instruction.

A primary school opening up exclusively for toddlers is the D.A.V. Public School, Sector 8, (Sector 39 Branch) where fine arts and physical education will be used to teach numbers and languages to the young ones.

In addition to this, Aanchal International School, not only boasts of a special resource centre but other facilities also like splash pools, skating rink, tennis and basket ball court.

The school Principal, Mrs M. Sood said the USP of the school would be the focus on reducing the burden on the kids and hence reduce the weight of the bags.

She added that the school would ensure that all activities take place within the school campus and the student did not carry the burden home.

Also coming up among the new schools is Euro Kids.

Mohali, March 2
Two teachers and a Class IV employee were suspended on a charge of helping students to indulge in copying during examinations being conducted by the Punjab School Education Board.

The teachers, who have been suspended, are Tarlochan Singh, PTI at a senior secondary school in Bharatpur and Mrs Harjinder Kaur, SS Mistress, Government Senior Secondary School, Attari, Ropar.

A sewadar, Abal Hassan, was also suspended for helping the teachers in this regard.

Mr Sadhu Singh Randhawa, DPI, alleged that it was found during checking that students of DAV Public Senior Secondary School, Ropar, were made to sit in one classroom (room no 20) during the examination so that they could indulge in copying.

He said the students were appearing in the chemistry examination for senior secondary classes. The examination was then cancelled.

Mr Randhawa said a show cause notice was issued to the Principal of the school, Mr Ramesh Gautam, who was the centre incharge.

He had been transferred and Mr Rajesh Sharma had been made incharge of the centre.

He alleged that Mr Gautam was using a mobile phone in the centre even when the use of a phone had been banned in the examination centre.

Mohali, March 2
In order to check copying in examinations, surprise checks were conducted by Mr Harnam Dass Johar, Education Minister, Punjab, today in various schools where examinations, are being conducted by the Punjab School Education Board, started.

The minister, who checked two government senior secondary schools at Mullanpur Garibdass and schools in Desumajra, Kharar, Morinda and Khant, where examinations were going on, said, the government was determined to end the menace of copying as the level of education was being adversely affected. He said the government was taking strict measures in this regard and senior officials of the Education Department had been asked to conduct surprise checks during the examinations. Even state-level officials like the Principal Secretary, the DGP and the DPI would conduct surprise checks at examination centres.

He said Section 144 of the CrPc had been implemented near examination centres and two police personnel had been posted outside each school to stop people from coming near these centres. The minister had directed the Deputy Commissioners of various districts to ask PCS officers working under them to conduct surprise checks.

He said no case of cheating was reported from centres where he had conducted surprise checks. He directed the staff not to allow any student to go outside the examination centre even before he completed his paper before the specific time. The minister also saw whether the schools were providing basic facilities to the students.

Chandigarh, March 2
MCM DAV College celebrated its 38th annual prize distribution function here today. Ms Raji P. Shrivastava, DPI (Colleges), Chandigarh, was the chief guest of the function.

Around 413 students of the college received prizes at the function. Eighty-nine students were awarded college colour, while 250 got prizes for academic excellence.

Among those honoured were university toppers — Preet Arora, Jaspreet Jassal, Shivani Kaushik, Isha Sood and Garima Dhawan. Jaspreet Jassal was also given a special prize of Rs 1,000 for being an outstanding student.

Pamalpreet Kelley was given college colour for participating in the national-level Republic Day Parade this year. Fortythree sportspersons were also given college colour.

The college alumni association (AMDA) gave away six special prizes, two each for academic, sports and extra-curricular activities. A cash prize of Rs 8,000 was given to university toppers. A scholarship of Rs 5000 was also given to Anjali Gulati, a physically challenged student.

A sum of Rs 17,000 was given as scholarship to three BCom students. Samvadini of BA III was declared the best student of the college.

Principal Puneet Bedi read out the annual report of the college.

HC seeks status report
High Court Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 2
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today sought status report as regards the ongoing investigation into the case of self-immolation in broad daylight by Gopal Kishan Kashyap, president of the Rajiv Gandhi Prontha Rehri Market Association, Patiala, on January 24.

During resumed hearing of a PIL filed by advocate Surinder Pal Singh Tinna, who had sought CBI investigation into the case, the court also went through the reply of the SSP, Patiala, in the case.