Demands: Implement pay grades, bring back schools, now under district parishads and nagar councils, under the Education Department

Nawanshahr, November 22
Now, it would not be easy for the school teachers to ‘play truant’ with the academic interests of their students as the class monitors would record the period-wise details of the topic taught and homework given by the different subject teachers in their ‘Monitor Diaries’, said the Director General School Education (DGSE), Krishan Kumar.

He claimed that this innovative experiment launched in the state schools would prove a milestone in bringing in a change in the attitude of the teachers especially those who have developed habit of shirking away from their moral responsibility of undertake actual teaching work in the class, consequently, bringing a sea change in the classroom teaching.

The innovative experiment was launched in the state schools from October 1 this year. Though some teacher organisations have been opposing it and some others are demanding to do away with this experiment by terming it as a altogether wasteful exercise.

“In support of their demand, they are putting forth the plea that the teachers would manipulate the entries in the monitor diaries,” said the DGSE.

But, he said, as per an independent survey, which he got conducted, he had come to the conclusion that the experiment would be continued as it would not be possible for the teachers to manipulate the entries for long.

“Besides, the concept of ‘Monitor Diaries’ would go a long way in ensuring student empowerment in the process of education,” further said the DGSE adding that the monitors and teachers diaries would be evaluated on March 31.

Besides, a database of class monitors is also being prepared and the class monitors would randomly be rung up to get the feedback about classroom teaching in their respective schools. 

Nawanshahr, November 22
The Punjab Unaided Technical Association (PUTIA) has opposed the proposed move of shifting of AICTE office to New Delhi from Chandigarh and decided to submit a representation to Human Resource Development Minister, through Punjab Chief Minister.

Giving details, Manjit Singh, vice-chairman of the Association, said the decision was taken at a meeting held in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Dr. J.S. Dhaliwal. “The Chandigarh AICTE regional office is presently rendering services to eight states of north-west region. The shifting of the Chandigarh AICTE Regional Office would cause inconvenience to the technical education institutions in the region,” he said.

Besides, the PUTIA also decided to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal raising the demand of drafting separate technical education policy in the state on the pattern of the industrial policy.

“The problems relating to PTU Jalandhar, Directorate and Punjab State Board of Technical & Industrial Training, Chandigarh, were also discussed,” said Manjit Singh adding that since 95 per cent professional and technical education was being provided by the private trusts/societies i.e. self-financed un-audited institutions, their plight had become deplorable as there was no increase in the fee structure of various courses for the past 10 years whereas price index had sky-rocketed during this period.

Chairmen from various colleges, including Satnam Singh (CEC, Landran), and Gurvinder Singh (Rayat Group), were present in the meeting. 

Amritsar, November 22
Claiming that there has been a decline in the Sikh religion, renowned scholar Rattan Singh Jaggi from Patiala said this has happened as people don’t follow the ideology of Guru Nanak Dev, first Sikh master, and his teachings in our practical life.

He was delivering a keynote address during the 24th annual seminar on “Guru Nanak and Origin of Gurdwara Institution” organised by the Guru Nanak Studies Department of Guru Nanak Dev University, here today. Over 50 scholars from various universities and colleges are participating in the two-day seminar.

Elaborating further, Jaggi said the tradition of gurdwara institution was started with the travels of Guru Nanak Dev. The dharamshalas were established at various places as preaching centres by the first Sikh master. After installation of Guru Granth Sahib, these Sikh religious places turned into gurdwaras.

He said the gurdwaras were the foundation of Sikh religion but the people had forgotten the principle of equality that forced the downtrodden and the people of lower castes to build their separate gurdwaras, which attracted them towards deras. Thus, gurdwaras were becoming a medium in creating casteism, he rued.

He said the race of constructing new buildings of historical gurdwaras has lost the historical originality of religious places.

He said as the gurdwaras are the main centres of preaching, there need reforms in the gurdwara managements. He released a copy of volume of research papers to be read out during the seminar.

Dr. Raghbir Singh, Dean, Academic Affairs, in his address traced the history of gurdwara institution. He also honoured Rattan Singh Jaggi and Satinder Singh by presenting them sets of university publications.

Satinder Singh, former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university, while presenting his presidential remarks said that the world was heading towards transcendence and was in search of a global religion. “The Sikh religion, the Guru Nanak Bani or Guru Granth Sahib has the characteristics of becoming the global religion, but we have to spread the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib at global level by way of preaching and by bringing its versions in various languages of the world.”

Pathankot, November 22
Punjab Transport Minister Master Mohan Lal has assured the people of Pathankot, Sujanpur, Narot Mehra and Dhar Kalan (all subdivisions of Gurdaspur district) that he would take up the matter of giving a district status to Pathankot with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

Addressing a meeting of the members of the Zila Banao Sangharsh Samiti and municipal councillors, panches, sarpanches of the area here today, he said the Pathankot subdivision fulfilled all the requirements to be made a district. He said former Chief Minister late Harcharan Singh Brar had also repeatedly assured the local Bar Association and the Pathankot Zila Banao Samiti that the subdivision would be made a district soon. But it could not happen as certain formalities were not completed during his tenure as the Chief Minister of the state.

The minister said he would do his best to provide a district status to the subdivision.

Dinesh Singh Babbu, MLA, Sujanpur, and Bishamber Dass, MLA, Narot Mehra, also supported the demand of the minister and promised all help to make the city a district headquarter.

Hoshiarpur, November 22
A representative of the Election Commission of India, Anil Anand, yesterday appeared before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in a case of forgery filed by the Malta Boat Tragedy Probe Mission Chairman Balwant Singh Khera on February 20 against the president, general secretary and secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Sukhbir Singh Badal, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Daljit Singh Cheema, respectively, over two constitutions filed by their party - one with the Gurdwara Election Commission (GEC) and the other with the Election Commission, contents of which are contrary to each other.

Anil Anand has got recorded his statement to the CJM and has produced records related to the case. The CJM has summoned secretary of the SAD Daljit Singh Cheema on December 23 with the relevant record of the party.

In the complaint, Balwant Singh Khera alleged that according to the Representation of Peoples Act a political party was required to be secular and should not have allegiance to any religion. But the SAD contested elections of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

The complainant has pointed out that the two constitutions have different criteria for membership as according to the one submitted to the Election Commission states that any adult can become its member but the other filed before the GEC lays down the condition of being a Sikh for its membership.

Phagwara, November 22
Though 102 villages of the Phagwara sub-division have been brought under the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme (RWSSS) to provide fresh drinking water in the rural areas of the Phagwara sub-division, eight village panchayats, including Khalwara, Pandori, Chachoki, Sangatpur, Sahni, Lakhpur, Wahid and Saprod have not been able to pass resolutions in this regard till now as the village panchayats had to contribute only 10 per cent of their shares for the materialisation of this scheme, which was run with the financial assistance of the World Bank.

This was stated by Phagwara SDM Amarjeet Paul. The SDM said a meeting of the concerned villages was organised here today and the sarpanches of these villages were motivated to deposit their shares to facilitate the people of their respective villages.

Hoshiarpur:As many as 32 water supply projects at a cost of Rs 1,328.75 lakh has been undertaken to provide potable water to the inhabitants of 66 villages in Hoshiarpur, said Tikshan Sud, Minister for Medical Education and Research, Parliamentary Affairs, Research, Forest and Labour.

He laid the foundation stone of new water supply project to be constructed with a cost of Rs 26.32 lakh to supply potable water to 1,625 inhabitants of Shanti Nagar at Bajwara village located on the periphery of the city last evening. As per plans, 150 metre deep tubewell would be installed for this water supply scheme, which would be completed within three months.