E-Paper
Upgraded schools in Ludhiana denying admissions, absence of senior staff a stumbling block
These upgraded schools in Ludhiana are unable to enrol students in higher classes in the absence of the senior staff, including lecturers and even principals
Despite being upgraded by the state government last year, absence of staff continues to be a spanner in the works of most of these government schools in the district.
These schools are unable to enrol students in higher classes in the absence of the senior staff, including lecturers and even principals.
While the state education department had directed schools to increase maximum enrolment, the aforesaid schools are awaiting sanctions for the senior staff post and helplessly denying admissions to the nearby students.
With the Cabinet giving the nod to upgrade 229 government schools across the state, the state education department had upgraded 18 schools in Ludhiana, which witnessed an increase in enrolment in December last year.
The seven high schools were upgraded to senior secondary schools in the district, including Ragveer Singh Freedom Fighter GHS, Amloh Road, Khanna; GHS, Aliwal; GHS Haibowal Kalan; GHS Nagra; GHS Sunet; GHS Barewal Awana; and GHS Jassowal .
Eight middle schools – GMS, Ratanheri; GMS, Madhepur, GMS, Kalal Majra, GMS, Housing Board Colony, GMS, Billanwali Chhapri, GMS, Jassian, GMS, Garhi and GMS, Mohi – were made high schools, while GPS, Bhikhi Khatra; GPS, Tugal; and GPS, Jodhan, made the cut among primary schools.
Admissions denied
A few schools which were upgraded to senior secondary have already been bombarded with the admission applications for the secondary classes.
“We didn’t get any official letter to admit the students in senior secondary classes. Moreover, no principal or lecturers’ post have been sanctioned for our school yet. In case, we provide admissions to the senior students, who would take their classes? We can’t depute junior teachers to teach them and rather it would be difficult to adjust their lectures and thus we unwillingly are denying admissions to them,”a teacher deputed at a school. which was upgraded to senior secondary, said.
A teacher from another such school voiced the same. She said the department should immediately sanction the posts of the senior staff in the school, so that the admissions in the secondary classes could be allowed instantly.
“Our school was upgraded to senior secondary last year but we didn’t get any staff for the senior classes. The education department should send teachers here on deputation so as to enable us to admit students. We are writing the names and contact numbers of the applicants in the school admission register and we will call them as soon as the posts for the senior staff will be approved for our school,”a teacher said.
Struggle for infrastructure goes on
Meanwhile, a few schools who were upgraded continue to struggle for infrastructure. According to the teachers, while the higher education authorities want to achieve higher enrolments in the state government schools, lack of desks, staff and classrooms continue to haunt these schools.
A senior official in the education department, however, said, all the schools in the district have been asked to increase the enrolment. “There is already shortage of staff in the schools and thus, there is definite need to recruit more teachers in the state to manage the increasing workload in the government schools. No such sanctions for the required posts in the upgraded schools have been received from the state education department for now,” the senior official said.
