Hundreds of students hailing from over a dozen villages in Mangat, Ludhiana, find themselves compelled to undertake at least a 10-km journey to pursue subjects in streams other than the humanities post Class 10 amid staff inadequacies at the Mangat Senior Secondary School.
According to the information, the school is grappling with a critical shortage of staff, leading to the sudden discontinuation of the commerce stream and other vocational courses earlier this year.
With only 27 out of the 56 sanctioned positions filled at the school, a significant number of students face an uncertain future. Those aspiring to study science, commerce, or opt for vocational courses must either enrol in a nearby private school or travel far daily to the next nearest government senior secondary school. Both options come with considerable financial burdens, as private schools demand hefty fees, and transportation to the government school incurs additional costs.
Mangat sarpanch Sukhdev Singh says, “I have repeatedly written to the authorities, urging them to address the vacant teacher positions. Only when there are enough teachers available can we expect children to show interest in studying. Presently, those who can afford and desire to pursue subjects of their choice travel to the city.”
“However, the children in our village who cannot afford the same should also be given the option to choose their preferred subjects right here at Mangat school,” he rued.
{{/usCountry}}“However, the children in our village who cannot afford the same should also be given the option to choose their preferred subjects right here at Mangat school,” he rued.
{{/usCountry}}In this challenging scenario, numerous children from families unable to afford alternatives are compelled to compromise and study whatever limited options the school provides.
According to the Punjab State Education Board (PSEB), students can choose three subjects from a range including elective languages (Punjabi/Hindi/English/Urdu), history, economics, mathematics, business organisation and management, bookkeeping and accountancy, political science, sociology, public administration, philosophy, music, geography, defence studies, psychology, home science, drawing and painting, computer application, agriculture, and physical education and sport. However, Mangat’s offerings are limited to four elective subjects: Punjabi, history, economics and political science.
Khushi, who aspired to pursue commerce with mathematics and dreams of becoming a civil servant, lamented, “I secured 92 in maths and wanted to pursue it further, but it was not available here. So, I aimed for commerce, which was also discontinued. With no time to explore other schools and the associated costs, I had to settle for arts here.”
Teachers, meanwhile, remain unwilling for rural postings after the government ceased rural allowances as they face challenges of long commutes, spending hours a day and thousands on transportation, even when carpooling.
A teacher from Mangat school not wishing to be named highlighted the difficulties, saying, “Most teachers in the school come from Ludhiana’s urban areas. To reach the school, we have to start at least 1.5 hours earlier, spending three hours a day commuting. Despite carpooling, we receive no compensation.”
“Moreover, when posted to rural areas, we lose the urban allowance, which is around 8-10% of the basic salary, reducing our income by at least ₹10,000 per month. In total, we incur a loss of nearly 20,000 rupees if transferred to rural areas,” the teacher added.
Acknowledging the pressing need of Mangat’s growing population, Punjab education minister Harjot Bains assured the filling of vacant seats in the government senior secondary school.
Speaking to HT, he said, “I will look into the matter personally, get in touch with the legislator of the constituency, and explore the possibility of deputing teachers from nearby schools. Additionally, we have about 40 vocational courses coming soon that children can opt for after Class 10.”