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Punjab primary games: Students all set, but where are the sports kits?
While around 7,000 students, aged 6 to 10, are set to participate in the games, which will be held at Anandpur Sahib from December 6 to 9, the Punjab education department has provided no funds to schools to arrange sports kits for them
Hoping to make a mark in the state-level primary games, which are returning after a two-year Covid-induced hiatus, students of Classes 1 to 5 at Punjab’s government schools may have to make do without the usual tracksuits and sports shoes this time.
While around 7,000 students, aged 6 to 10, are set to participate in the games, which will be held at Anandpur Sahib from December 6 to 9, the state education department has provided no funds to schools to arrange sports kits for them.
The students will participate in around 16 types of games, including athletics, kabbadi, kho- kho, badminton, shot put, long jump, rope skipping, yoga, gymnastics, karate, football, skating, chess, swimming and tug of war.
Teachers said in the past, children were always provided tracksuits and shoes for the annual games, as they were crucial for mobility, and protection from injuries and winter chill. However, this year, their parents may have to bear the cost of the sports kits or the children may have to participate without any gear at all.
This, teachers said, was a violation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which mandates free and compulsory education to students of Classes 1 to 8.
A block primary education officer, pleading anonymity, said the issue was also raised with senior officers, but there was no positive response.
‘Undue burden on underprivileged families’
Vikram Dev Singh, state president of the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), said, “Several students of government schools come from very underprivileged families that struggle to even make ends meet. Now, the state government has even put the burden of buying sports kits on them. Besides, the state government is also violating the RTE Act, under which elementary education has to be provided free to students and no expenditure can be imposed on them. We demand that the government release funds for purchasing the sports kits.”
Dev added, “Until 2016, the kits were being given to students at the venue of games. For the next three years, the funds were allocated to the district education departments to purchase the kits. In 2017, the games were held in Anandpur Sahib, and in Amritsar and Sangrur in the subsequent two years.”
Will try to arrange donations for our schools: Sangrur DEO
In Sangrur, district education officer (DEO), Elementary, Shivraj Kapoor said, “We will not let students face any financial problems and will make all arrangements for them. We are looking for donors to provide the sports kits. Besides, officials and our teaching community will also pitch in funds.”
Varinder Kumar Sharma, special secretary, education department, Punjab, refused to give a comment: “The director, public instruction (DPI, Elementary), is organising the games, so she will comment on the issue.”
When contacted, Harinder Kaur, DPI, Elementary, said there was no provision in the state’s sports policy to provide kits to students for state-level games. “The policy only allows kits for national-level players. However, we are thinking about it.”
