Asking us to contribute to funds for schools games not fair: Teachers

The state government plans to hold games for primary school students. The aim is to provide a platform for students to interact, gain exposure and confidence while participating in sports. For the organisation of this activity, teachers in government schools have been asked to give money out of their own pockets. This is being strongly opposed by the teaching community. However, some teachers believe that donating some rupees to promote sports among the poor and needy is not a big deal.

A teacher at a government primary school in Mangat said their colleagues were asked to donate Rs 500.

“In some circles (comprising five-seven schools), they collected Rs 300 and Rs 400. The majority, however, gave Rs 500. The games were initially scheduled for September. But as the teachers and unions opposed the decision saying the grounds were still wet, the games were postponed. They now intend to hold the games for students under the age of 11 in the first week of October,” a teacher, wishing not to be named, said.

The collection of funds from teachers has sparked controversy, and teachers in some other districts have decided to ‘boycott’ the games. Teacher unions gathered in Moga district’s Nihal Singh Wala block and decided to boycott the games until the government sent the funds. Similarly, teachers in Mansa district refused to fund the games out of their own pockets.

Another teacher rued the state government would receive all the credit for organising the games, while the entire cost would be borne by the teachers. She added teachers were already unable to confront the shopkeepers from whom they had obtained materials for other activities after the government promised to provide funds by March.

Daljit Singh Samrala, president, Democratic Teachers’ Union, said the union’s delegation would raise the issue with the higher authorities. “Why are teachers penalised when there are no funds available and the government does not include anything in the budget to hold games for primary students? Why would they pay out of their own pockets?” Samrala questioned, adding that the government had not even cleared last year’s dues.

Tehel Singh, press secretary, Punjab Government School Teachers’ Union, said the Block Primary Education Officers (BPEOs) collected funds last year as well, but the teachers were never reimbursed. “Expecting teachers to contribute this time as well, is unjustified. If the government wants to hold games, it should allocate funds,” Tehel Singh added.

DEO (Primary) Ravinder Kaur said the government had allocated funds for the games, and that funds to several blocks had been released. She added some details were required from the remaining blocks and once these were sent to the department, funds would be released.

“Ludhiana is a large district with thousands of students; if we contribute a small amount to put smiles on the students’ faces, there should be no problem. We are not asking anyone to contribute, and I will pass instructions to the centre heads not to solicit funds from teachers, but there are many who voluntarily want to serve. There are 19 blocks in the district, with 11 having been given funds. We collect funds to cover expenses such as refreshments, potable water, certificates, medals and trophies. It is not mandatory for the teachers to contribute,” the DEO said. Taking the names of teachers such as Narinder Singh from Jandiali and Kashmir Singh from Khasi Khurd, the DEO added such teachers set an example by spending from their own pockets to promote sports among their students.

It should be noted that in many schools, the collected money is given to the centre in-charge, it then reaches the BPEOs and finally the department for the games. The teachers said these were just verbal orders and that no receipt was provided for the collection.

Though the ‘main’ games will begin in October, centre-level games for primary school students have already begun across 112 Ludhiana district centres.