Reshuffle in Punjab school education dept : 22 vocational masters promoted as principals
In a major reshuffle, following the Punjab and Haryana Court directions to Punjab school education department to comply with the 2004 guidelines, many vocational masters, who were earlier promoted as Punjab education services (PES), district education officers and deputy directors, were demoted on Monday.
In a major reshuffle, following the Punjab and Haryana Court directions to Punjab school education department to comply with the 2004 guidelines, many vocational masters, who were earlier promoted as Punjab education services (PES), district education officers and deputy directors, were demoted on Monday.
As per the rules established by the state government in 2004, promotion should be given on the basis of seniority only and the vocational masters must be initially appointed on the lecturers’ scale. However, in 2009 vocational masters who were postgraduate, were promoted as principals.
According to the list updated on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) website, in Punjab, a total 185 vocational masters are promoted out of which 22 are from Ludhiana.
The orders have been issued by G Vajralingam, principal secretary of school education, stating the reversion of vocational masters and vocational lecturers.
More than 12 officers from Ludhiana have been demoted including district education officer (elementary) Gurjot Singh; Krishan Dutt, principal of government senior secondary school, Baddowal; Gurminder Kaur, principal of government model senior secondary school, Miller Ganj; Mandeep Kaur of government senior secondary, Engine Shed; Jagdesh Kaur, principal of government senior secondary school, Payal; Rajesh Garg, principal of government senior secondary school, Subhash Nagar; Ujjvalveer Singh, senior lecturer at the government in service training centre.
All the vocational masters and vocational lecturers have been relieved and instructed to report to the director public instructions (secondary) office with immediate effect.
When contacted, a member of the Government State Lecturer Union, requesting anonymity said, “We condemn the rules framed by the education department in 2004. As according to these rules, a Matric pass, diploma holder has become a principal, which is not justified.” A school principal, who wished not to be named, said, “This is a wrong decision taken by the state government as now matric pass and diploma holders will run the government schools. Do they have that calibre to handle this responsibility? I feel the court must rethink on its decision.”