E-Paper
No teacher for commerce stream in Ludhiana’s oldest school
Despite the existence of 20 vacant positions for different subjects under the commerce stream in the school, the school has not had a single commerce teacher since March this year
: In a stark contradiction to the Punjab state government’s ambitious “Mission 100 Percent” initiative aimed at enhancing the quality of education, the Multipurpose Government Senior Secondary School in Ludhiana, one of the oldest in the city, is grappling with a severe shortage of commerce lecturers, leaving around 500 students in the lurch.
Despite the existence of 20 vacant positions for different subjects under the commerce stream in the school, the school has not had a single commerce teacher since March this year. The school had only one teacher to teach all the subjects from 2017 to March 2023.
The absence of dedicated instructors has compelled students pursuing commerce to rely on B.Ed. students undergoing training, leading to a significant gap in their academic support.
Sanjay Gupta, school principal and former commerce lecturer, acknowledged the issue, saying, “We have communicated the shortage to higher authorities multiple times. Both district and state officials are aware of the vacancies, yet the situation persists. Despite the challenges, as a former commerce lecturer, I often conduct tests to help students clarify their concepts.”
A Class 12 student from the school, on condition of anonymity, said “A teacher pursuing her B.Ed. training joined in September and left in November. In three months, she managed to cover the entire syllabus. Prior to that, teachers from other subjects took on the role, but most of the lectures were not conducted regularly.”
While students from other streams benefit from extra classes before and after school hours, preparing for board exams and competitive tests such as NEET and JEE, commerce students face a lack of such privileges. They are left to self-study or depend on tuition classes.
Another Class 12 student aspiring to be a Chartered Accountant, requesting anonymity, stated, “Having no choice, we have learned to be on our own. While most study materials are available online, the major challenge is the accounts subject, which has numerous numerical problems requiring proper guidance.”
Established in the 1860s, the school holds the distinction of being one of the oldest schools in Punjab, boasting a notable list of alumni who have excelled as civil servants, doctors, and engineers. However, the ongoing staff shortage is jeopardising the quality of education and teaching.
An teacher, requesting anonymity, said, “This century-old school, known for its quality of education and distinguished alumni, lacks essential staff, including sweepers, guards, campus managers, and teachers. How can we expect our students to achieve merit without professional subject-related educators?”
