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- dEsPeraTe cRaNky -
JALANDHAR/CHANDIGARH:
With over 36,000 government school teachers deputed on census duty, studies have taken a backseat in Punjab. Although the government has roped in only around 40% of government school teachers, the situation is really bad in its over 1,500 primary schools, where the entire staff is on census duty.
In fact, such has been the toll on academics that some parents are seriously considering shifting their children to private schools. Even ministers are disgruntled, and two have shot off letters, requesting exemption of teachers from census duty. If education minister Upinderjit Kaur had approached the chief minister and his deputy, director, census, and deputy commissioners for 'no census duty' to teachers, her peer — health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla — has now written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to consider children's interest.
According to sources in the education department, even 680 Block Master Trainers and Cluster Master Trainers, who are the backbone of 'Padoh Punjab' campaign, which is responsible for a noticeable improvement in education standards of students, have also been included in this census duty. "The tempo of this campaign would be adversely affected due to their (Block Master and Cluster Master Trainers) lack of involvement in the duty," an official claimed.
Enquiries revealed that while teachers were being asked to do the census duty after school hours, they have refused to do a double shift, saying they would do only one duty.
With over 36,000 government school teachers deputed on census duty, studies have taken a backseat in Punjab. Although the government has roped in only around 40% of government school teachers, the situation is really bad in its over 1,500 primary schools, where the entire staff is on census duty.
In fact, such has been the toll on academics that some parents are seriously considering shifting their children to private schools. Even ministers are disgruntled, and two have shot off letters, requesting exemption of teachers from census duty. If education minister Upinderjit Kaur had approached the chief minister and his deputy, director, census, and deputy commissioners for 'no census duty' to teachers, her peer — health minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla — has now written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to consider children's interest.
According to sources in the education department, even 680 Block Master Trainers and Cluster Master Trainers, who are the backbone of 'Padoh Punjab' campaign, which is responsible for a noticeable improvement in education standards of students, have also been included in this census duty. "The tempo of this campaign would be adversely affected due to their (Block Master and Cluster Master Trainers) lack of involvement in the duty," an official claimed.
Enquiries revealed that while teachers were being asked to do the census duty after school hours, they have refused to do a double shift, saying they would do only one duty.
