EDUCATION

School functions pinch parents’ pocket
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, December 11
These days schools are busy organising annual functions and Xmas functions, in which students are required to wear different costumes for different roles.

No doubt, they look cute on the stage, but buying or taking the costumes on rent put financial strain on the parents. Ludhiana Tribune talked to a few parents and found out that it entailed quite a lot of trouble for the parents.

“My daughter had to wear the dress of a rural Punjab belle to participate in her school’s annual function. Every parent wants overall development of one’s child. Both my husband and I were happy that she would be on the stage and lose stage fright. Similarly my son was chosen to play Santa Claus. The real problem arose when it came to the dresses. We were told by the school authorities that either we get the dresses stitched or hire them. On inquiry, we found that the gidda dress would cost Rs 350, including the typical jewellery like saggi phul, and Santa Claus dress would be available for Rs 150, plus a security deposit of Rs 500. It really upset our budget.”

But they had to shell out the money as the children were insistent on taking part. It has become a universal problem with the parents. Those who can afford the money, it is no problem, but for salaried-class people shelling out money for several functions spread over the whole year is a problem.

If the parents get the costumes stitched it also costs a dent on their pockets. Sometimes the school authorities get the costumes stitched from boutiques and charge the students a tidy sum keeping, of course, their own profit margin.

There are some shops in Ghumar Mandi and Chaura Bazar that have a brisk business renting not only dresses, but also costume jewellery so essential for dances.

A Rajasthani dance dress would cost Rs 250 onwards and the jewellery would cost as much. Haryanvi dancer’s jewellery would cost Rs 350. Similarly, a Bharat Natyam dancer’s jewellery can be hired for Rs 350.

These days imitation jewellery, replica of ornate sets worn by Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit and known as Devdas sets can be hired for Rs 1,000.

According to the owner of a shop, “Such sets are hired by very few students who really want to look extraordinary. If we know the customer, we waive off the security, if new, we do ask for some security.”

Now Santa Claus dresses can be seen aplenty for almost all major schools will celebrate Christmas in their schools. The rent for the dress is Rs 100, whereas an Army man’s dress, another favourite, comes for again Rs 100. Many students playing the roles of queens or rich ladies hire “Rani Hars,” which come for Rs 200.

A parent, Mira Raichand, said, “We hired jewellery for our daughter in Class 8 for a dance for Rs 500. After her item was over, she changed her costume and put the jewellery in her bag. Since there were many students in the classroom, her bag got lost. The school authorities tried to locate it but failed. Hence we had to pay the entire cost which was about Rs 1,500. These functions are quite a headache for parents.”

Some shops are equipped to provide for a dozen students, while big dealers can provide dresses and jewellery and other accessories for the entire troupe comprising 200 and more students. The parents are faced with a Hobson’s choice. If they let their children participate, there is a hole in their budget, and if they keep them out, then too they suffer from guilt pangs as they deny their children a chance.

“Can’t the schools stock their ‘drama cupboards’ with oft needed costumes and charge nominal fee from students for using them?” ask a parent.

Impressive show marks DAV annual function
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 11
The Annual function of DAV Public School held today was a rich admixture of dances and plays. Plays were staged in three languages. 'King Lear', the classic by Shakespeare was enacted well, while the Hindi play 'Chere pe Chera' dealt with contemporary problems of craze for going abroad and getting cheated in the bargain. The Punjabi play titled 'Socho, Samjhon ta Vishwas Karo' made the audience think.

Nritya Natika, mime depicting terrible effects of terrorism, Lavni dance of Maharashtra and the patriotic songs rendered by the students enthralled the audience.

The chief guest Mr C.M Talwar (IAS) Additional Secretary & Director Small Savings, Government of Punjab, gave away the prizes to Yatish Jain who stood first in Class X CBSE Board Examination in the district. He along with Veenu Singla , a student of Plus II, who stood second in Board Examination in the district , received gold medals whereas nine students of the school who scored 95 per cent and above in Board Examinations were given silver medals.

As many as 60 students of Class XII received shields for excelling in academics and extra curricular activities. Director R.S Patial , read out the annual report and apprised the parents of future plans of the school while the Principal
thanked the chief guests and parents.

Teachers resent discrimination
Our Correspondent

Samrala, December 11
Great resentment prevails here amongst the B.Ed candidates of Panjab University for not including their internal assessment marks in the total marks while preparing the merit list for the appointments to the posts of teachers by the Secretary, Ludhiana Zila Parishad, while the same secretary is including internal assessment marks of the candidates from other universities. A discrimination is being done to the candidates who have passed their B.Ed examination from Panjab University according to Mr Behari Lal Saddi, Mr Raam Rattan, Mr Meghdass and Mr Atma Singh Sandhu, teachers’ leaders, who have requested the ADC (D), Ludhiana, to intervene in the matter and save the future of hundreds of the prospective candidates.

Moreover, Registrar, Panjab University, Chandigarh, has written to the Punjab Government and Director, Rural Development and Panchayat, regarding inclusion of the internal assessment marks to prepare the merit list. But it seems that his communication has fallen on deaf ears, which is most regretted, said Mr Ram Rattan and Mr Behari Lal Saddi.

Pensioners back aided-school teachers' stir
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, December 11
Teaching and non-teaching staff of government -aided schools in Punjab have been holding protest rallies and courting arrests in Chandigarh for the past several days for the restoration of pension benefit withdrawn from June 1,2003. Several hundred staffers, including women, have been put behind the bars.

Incidentally, they are not demanding any new benefits but are simply urging the government to restore the pension benefit from the date it was withdrawn. Several hundred staffers who retired since June 1,2003 have not been given pension. Pension benefit for aided schools was introduced in February, 1987, however, it was scrapped in 2003.

Deplorably, despite the assurances given by the Chief Minister himself, nothing has been done so far.

The Punjab Government Pensioners' Association supports their just cause and expresses its solidarity with them. It urges the Punjab Chief Minister to restore the pensionary benefits from the date it was withdrawn.

BJP supports agitating teachers
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 11
The BJP has supported the demands of the agitating teachers of the aided schools and exhorted upon the state government to accept these and restore normalcy in the schools.

In a statement issued here today, the state general secretary of the party, Prof Rajinder Bhandari said, more than 1,000 teachers, mostly women, had courted arrest and instead of teaching their students they were languishing in jails, which was shameful for any progressive state.

He said the agitating teachers were not demanding anything new as they only wanted their pension benefits restored.

NSS volunteers hold camp in adopted villages
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana December 11
A 10-day special camp jointly organised by the NSS units of the College of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Home Science of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, got under way at Talwandi Khurd village in which around 250 volunteers are participating. The theme of the camp is "Healthy Youth for Healthy Society".

In his inaugural address, Dr. K.S.Verma, Programme Coordinator, NSS, PAU, advised the volunteers to carry out the camp activities with dedication and maintain discipline during their camp in the adopted villages, Talwandi Khurd, Swaddi and Talwandi Kalan, near Mullanpur.

Giving details of the schedule of the camp activities, Dr. Verma, said the volunteers would carry out community development activities like cleanliness of the village lanes and drains, community places in the villages, eradication of congress grass, plantation of ornamental plants in the school and gurdwara premises, rallies against drug abuse, awareness about AIDS, TB, cancer etc. with active involvement of the village youth.

Hand bills carrying slogans against drug and intoxicant abuse will be pasted on walls, electricity poles and tractor trailers to spread the messages among the village youth.

Lectures on judicious use of ground water, proper use of pesticides, crop diversification and agroforestry will also be arranged through subject matter specialists for the benefit of the farming community and NSS volunteers.

Experts from the College of Home Science will give demonstration to women on the preservation of food and fruits and preparation of sauces, pickles, jellies etc.

The camp activities will be supervised by the Programme Officers Dr. Damanjit Kaur, Dr. Asha Chawla, Dr. Rohinish Khurana, Sandeep Singh.

Meritorious students honoured
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana December 11
Four students of the Khalsa Institute of Management and Technology (KIMT) were honoured by the Punjab Governor and Chancellor of Punjab Technical University, Gen S.F.Rodrigues(retd) during the fifth annual convocation held at NIT Jalandhar recently.

According to a press release, Shipra Jain of KIMT topped in BCA 2006 examinations of PTU and was awarded a gold medal. Tanya Jain got the third position and Pallavi Rai got the fifth position in the university. Tanya Jain was given the bronze medal while Pallavi Rai was given the University Merit Certificate.

The students of postgraduate streams were also honoured on at the function. Dinky of KIMT won the bronze medal for getting third position in the university merit list of the MCA 2006 examination. The Chairman of the institute, Dr Prithipal Singh Grewal and Director Dr R.S.Gupta, congratulated the meritorious students for getting medals in the university and wished them bright future. They also appreciated the efforts of the faculty members for providing valuable guidance to the students for excelling in the examinations.

COURTS

Chhibber, Kalia in race for presidentship of DBA
Rajneesh Lakhanpal

Ludhiana, December 11
With the filing of five more nomination papers for various posts on the last day of nominations, the scene of annual elections of the District Bar Association (DBA) has gained momentum. Now there are 18 candidates in the field.

Prominent among those who filed their papers today were Mr Naval Kishore Chibber, (the sitting Bar President) for the post of president of the association.

Mr Chibber went to the Returning Officer in a procession of large number of lawyers.

Former Chairman of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana-Mr Harish Rai Dhanda, former Bar President-Mr K R Sikri, senior lawyers-Mr S K Singal, Mr Rajinder Gupta, President New Courts Bar Association, Mr Arun Kanwal, Group of Frinds Advocates-Mr Parminder Singh, Mr Naginder Singh, Mr Harish Narnag, Mr David Gill accompanied him. Mr Chhiber also hosted lunch for the lawyers.

The second contendor was Mr Hemant Kalia, former Bar President who filed nomination papers for the post of President of DBA.

Former Bar Presidents-Mr Balwinder Goel (Member Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana), Mr Jagmohan Singh Warraich, Secretary of the DBA-Mr Rajneesh Gupta, office-bearers of the Organisation of Young Lawyers-Mr Rana Harjasdeep Singh, Mr Sandeep Kapoor, Mr Rohit Thapar, Mr Malwinder Ghumman, Mr Monty Atwal, Mr Ramandeep Khaira, Mr Nikhil Mohan, Mr Ajay Goyal, Mr Ashish Handa accompanied Mr Kalia.

Giving details, the Returning Officer-Mr S K Pathak and ARO-Mr Parveen Talwar, said Mr Kuldeep Singh Arora also filed nomination papers for the post of secretary. Seven nominations were recieved from Mr Aru Sharma, Ms Neena Markanda, Mr Kulwinder Pal Singh, Ms Yogita Mohil, Mr Gaurav Saini, Ms Gurbir Kaur, Mr Gaurav Bhandari for the executive body.