Gurdaspur schools in pathetic state, 28 of 90 have no teacher
Ravi Dhaliwal
Gurdaspur, July 28
The standard of education in government schools located near the International Border (IB) has slid to abysmally low levels — a development that is slowly leading to a complete decay of the system.
Of the 90 primary schools near the IB, 28 have no teacher. This does not end here. There are 35 schools which are functioning with just one teacher.
As far as senior secondary and high schools are concerned, a total of 40 posts of principal and headmaster are lying vacant. Nobody knows when the vacancies will be filled.
Having a “myopic vision”, the department is offering temporary solutions to permanent problems. Like sending tutors from adjoining schools on a day-to-day basis to fill in the gaps in “teacher-less” schools, instead of recruiting a fresh lot of educators.
Chemistry teachers are being asked to take Punjabi language classes because vacancies of Punjabi teachers have not been filled for the past several years.
“The policy makers should understand that for poverty stricken kids, education is a bridge between poverty and riches, misery and hope,” said Harjinder Singh Wadala Banger, president of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF). This union keeps a close watch on the working of schools.
Teachers off the record admit that schools of all the four border area education blocks — Kalanaur, Dorangla and Dera Baba Nanak (1 and 2) — are in a shambles.
The Kalanaur senior secondary school, designated as a smart school, is symptomatic of the condition of all border schools. The post of Principal here has been lying vacant for the past more than three years. There are nine senior secondary schools which are functioning without Principals. Here, lecturers are acting as Principals.
Teachers claim a wrong precedent is being set because a lecturer has to teach his subject to classes. When he is forced to sit on the Principal’s chair, he is bogged down by files pertaining to administrative work.
On the face of it, the enrolment aspect in primary schools looks good. But scratch the surface a bit and it becomes clear that it is only the free mid-day meal scheme that is boosting the numbers.
By a conservative estimate, 80 per cent of children do not come to study. They, in fact, come to consume the mid-day meal. Hunger is the force that drives them to school, unmindful of the distance.
“Poor parents do not like the idea of their kids going to school. However, when we tell them their children will get free food once a day, the arguments cease. Instead of sending kids with their fathers to do labour the next day, mothers themselves bring their children to schools,” said a primary teacher.
The government, instead of extending a helping hand, is adding to the chaos by burdening teachers with non-teaching activities. They are often designated as Booth-Level Officers (BLO) following which election-related work is forced upon them. They also have to attend to other tasks like keeping a record of the mid-day meal process, attending to directives sent by the District Education Officer (DEO) and deleting votes from the voters list. At times when floods ravage the area, they are put on damage-assessment duty.
Teachers unions have been vehemently protesting that tutors should be exempted from such duties. Instead, unions insist, such duties should be assigned to non-teaching employees.
A senior education officer said the department was aware of all these problems. “We are in the process of streamlining the entire system,” she said.
Kids coming for free meal
The free mid-day meal scheme is boosting student numbers. By a conservative estimate, 80 per cent of children do not come to study. They, in fact, come to consume the mid-day meal. Hunger is the force that drives them to school, unmindful of the distance.
