L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Teachers as role models for students

I strongly agree with Dr S.S. Johl’s opinion in his article, “School education: Money alone will not deliver” (September 27) that teaching is not a profession to be joined by default but by choice. For teachers have to evolve themselves to serve as a role model for society and students.

He has explained the authentic and logical flaws in the Indian education system like casual approach of the teachers due to service security, lack of accountability, more attention towards generating additional income through tuitions, allowing mass copying under the pressure of showing results and so on.

Dr Johl has suggested that teaching job should be adopted with a commitment that demands impeccable character, honesty and sacrifice to serve the nation selflessly. It is not a job to make money.

Therefore, what is needed is not higher budgetary allocation for education alone but self-imposed accountability in the teaching profession in schools and colleges.

AVNI CHAWLA, DAV College, Chandigarh

II

Yes, the teachers are neither responsible nor accountable to the authorities. In my own village in Amritsar, students over the years have not been able to reach for higher education beyond a plain graduation in Arts. Most children dropped out at primary school, a few others could cross matric through copying with resultant unemployment.

The depressing education scenario in rural areas can change if the authorities have the will and foresight. Let the teachers be paid well, but they must be held accountable to those they teach. The performance of every class and teacher should be audited and non-performers punished in various ways including even termination of service.

The supervisory staff also needs goading; they must deliver for improved schooling output. The Chief Minister’s lament that students from rural and poor areas can’t match those from urban schools will not be solved unless the government undertakes drastic changes to tackle the deteriorating situation.

Brig. H.S. SANDHU (retd), Panchkula

III

Why blame teachers alone for the poor results? Unless one is given enough time, facilities and a conducive atmosphere, how can teachers perform and produce results?

I closely observed two elementary schools in two villages near my school. Teachers look after Classes I to V having over 100 students. The head teacher and others remain engaged most of the time in maintaining the school records, correspondence with the Board, construction, accounts, mid-day meal, seminars, census, data collection for the government, election duty, etc.

Sometimes, just one teacher teaches all the subjects of all classes! The situation is the same in almost all the government schools in Punjab. How can this situation be compared with private schools where each subject is taught and revised by full-time teachers in all classes?

If the state-run schools should perform better than private schools, the government should spare teachers from all govt. duties, provide regular power supply, especially in peak summer, appoint clerical staff in all the schools, give result-oriented incentives or punishments and ensure regular attendance of students by imposing penalty on parents for their wards’ absence.

V.K. KURIAKOSE, Principal, Jhamkudevi Sr Sec School, Abohar

IV

The writer makes a very correct assessment of the standard of education in public schools. Undoubtedly, only the best candidates become teachers in these schools, yet they fail to deliver in terms of the performance of students in the examinations.

In addition to service security and lack of accountability, the quality of students the government schools get is very poor as compared to that of private schools.

To stem the rot in government schools, the headmasters/ principals should be selected not just on the basis of one’s experience as a routine exercise but on one’s leadership and administrative quality. The teachers should be made accountable to the head of the institution. Only then, he/she can enforce discipline in the school.

GURSHARAN S. NARULA, Haibowal Kalan (Ludhiana)

Make blood donation a habit It is sad that with a healthy population of over 1300 million people, we still have to import blood. This is because voluntary blood donation culture has still not taken roots in our psyche. We shy away from blood donation either because of misconceptions or lack of interest. So, generally it is either the relative donors or professional donors. Owing to shortage of healthy blood, poor people have a tough time. They have to run from pillar to post for a bottle of blood and pay through their nose. When it comes to rare groups like B (negative), the situation becomes even worse. Donating blood once in every three months, between the age of 18 and 65, is absolutely safe. In fact, it paves the way for regeneration of fresh and healthy blood. I have been donating blood for the last 36 years and am ticking. What better joy than saving a life. So, let’s make blood donation a habit. Col R.D. SINGH, Leh (J&K)