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Vacant posts: 40 govt schools in Ludhiana district without principals
Senior secondary schools, including in Noorpur Bet, Chaunta, Manupur, Maloud, Kaddon, Dhamot, Hans Kalan, Raikot and Sunet, are among the institutions which currently do not have a principal, with officials revealing that some have been operating without a head for nearly a year
: Contrary to the Punjab government’s claims of improved conditions in government-run schools, at least 40 schools in Ludhiana district are currently functioning without principals.
Senior secondary schools, including in Noorpur Bet, Chaunta, Manupur, Maloud, Kaddon, Dhamot, Hans Kalan, Raikot and Sunet, are among the institutions which currently do not have a principal, with officials revealing that some have been operating without a head for nearly a year.
The void has forced senior teachers to shoulder additional responsibilities without any incentives.
A senior teacher, who has been an officiating principal since May, requesting anonymity said “Starting from salary issues, grants, to any other permissions, we have to leave during school hours to visit the principal given DDO powers in another school almost every day. If there was a principal in our school, everything could have been done under the same roof. Adding to our woes, we do not receive any incentives for playing the part of an officiating principal. Instead, we are burdened with double responsibilities.”
In the absence of higher authorities, school faculty members have reported a decline in discipline among teachers in carrying out their responsibilities.
A teacher from a school which is without a principal since June 2023, on the basis of anonymity, highlighted the challenges, stating, “Besides the official services taking a hit due to the absence of higher authority, the school faculty also tends to be casual towards their responsibilities. As one of the senior teachers is in a high position tentatively, their counterparts do not take them seriously.”
Sanjiv Kumar, vice president of Punjab Government School Teachers Union, expressed concern, stating, “Not having a principal in the school is like a headless family, dependent on another school principal who has the DDO powers for every other thing. For the smooth functioning of the institution, the hierarchy of officials must be present.”
District education officer (secondary) Dimple Madan acknowledged the persistent problem, saying, “This is a long-standing issue and can be resolved only when promotions are made by the higher authorities.”
