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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Telugu camp concludes amid mixed reaction from teachers
Aimed at promoting cultural exchange between Punjab and Andhra Pradesh The week-long Telugu language classes held across Punjab government schools under the Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp wrapped up on Thursday, but not without raising eyebrows among educators and experts. While the initiative, driven by the Union ministry of education, aimed to promote cultural exchange between Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, many teachers believe the focus should have been on strengthening Punjabi skills, especially for migrant students who continue to lag. According to Punjab School Education Board results for 2024-25, over 1,500 students from Class 10 and 386 from Class 8 across the state, did not qualify Punjabi exam, despite it being their primary language. The concern, teachers say, isn't about resisting multilingualism, but prioritising basics before diversifying. Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, questioned the timing and relevance of teaching Telugu. 'Migrant children struggle with Punjabi. They live and work here, why not focus on their proficiency in the state's language first? Instead of a central gimmick, we needed classes that strengthen academic foundations,' he said. Still, not everyone echoed this sentiment. Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, called the programme 'refreshing and insightful'. She said, 'Teachers learnt Telugu via video modules and brought those lessons alive in classrooms. Students not only learnt greetings and songs, but even prepared Andhra cuisine, it truly brought cultural learning to life.' The students also seemed enthusiastic. 'We made Telugu charts, sang songs and interacted in a new language, it was fun and different,' said a Class 8 student. Another student shared how the experience transported them into the heart of Andhra Pradesh in just seven days. Responding to concerns about Punjabi proficiency, Ahuja added that the government's Mission Samrath initiative is already addressing this gap, helping underperforming students, particularly migrants, strengthen their language skills. District education officer (secondary) Dimple Madan did not respond despite several attempts.
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Weeks on, government school students without books
Nearly a month into the new academic session, students at government schools are still waiting for their textbooks. Despite a requirement of nearly 21 lakh books, only around 15 lakhs have been made available so far, leaving many children without essential learning material. Teachers and principals have raised the alarm, fearing the delay may affect student learning, classroom progress and even enrollments. Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers' Union (GTU), said, 'There are still entire subjects for which books haven't arrived. Teachers keep making repeated rounds to get the books. This should be sorted at the start of the session with block-wise counts.' Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, said Class 1 students had got only one subject's book so far. A teacher from School of Eminence, Model Town, also pointed out that Punjabi textbooks for senior secondary classes are yet to reach schools. Although some schools maintain book banks, teachers say these are no longer enough. 'Students expect fresh books at the start of the year. But many pass-outs don't return their books, affecting studies,' said a teacher. Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) superintendent Manish Kumar said 14.5 lakh books had been distributed and the pending books would reach the schools by the end of May. Regarding the delay, he said the books were earlier sent to Khanna and then brought to Ludhiana before being distributed. 'Now, the system has changed. Books are stored directly in Ludhiana and then delivered to different blocks,' he said. According to officials, the delay in distribution was triggered by a dispute between the Punjabi Sahit Akademi and the PSEB over rental terms and maintenance of the board's regional office at Punjabi Bhawan. Due to this, books were earlier stored at a government senior secondary school in Khanna. The issue has been resolved, and the books are now arriving at Punjabi Bhawan, officials added.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Tech issues and inauguration events burden teachers amid enrolment season
While the Punjab government's 'Sikhya Kranti' campaign continues to gain momentum, a critical aspect of the academic cycle—student enrolment—appears to be suffering. Government school teachers have expressed concern that, despite being in a pivotal period for admissions, the process has been significantly disrupted. Traditionally, teachers actively engage in door-to-door outreach to encourage enrolment, a task that becomes even more urgent as schools are assigned specific enrolment targets by the administration. However, with the current focus of educators have shifted towards preparations for inauguration ceremonies related to infrastructural developments under the Sikhya Kranti initiative, teachers find themselves overwhelmed with administrative duties. As a result, they are unable to dedicate time and resources to student outreach. Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, highlighted the mounting frustration among staff. 'Technical glitches in the e-portal system have added to our challenges. Previously, the online platform's 'fetch' option made enrolment smoother and quicker, but now it's not functioning. At a time when we need it the most, we're left without a vital tool,' she said. Ahuja also noted that a significant number of students are awaiting admission, making the situation even more urgent. Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, state finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union, pointed to another factor affecting the enrolment process. 'Teachers have been occupied with preparations for inaugurations, which has clearly impacted enrolments. However, unlike earlier times when teachers were pressured to meet unrealistic targets leading to bogus admissions, this time they are being more careful.' Echoing similar sentiments, Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers' Union (GTU), criticised the timing of the official events. 'We are in peak enrolment season, and holding inaugurations right now is a mistake. Later, when targets aren't met, the blame will fall on teachers,' he warned. Amid the growing concerns, Vishal Kumar, MIS coordinator, offered a bit of reassurance. 'An alternative method has been provided for student registration on the e-portal. Teachers facing problems can also reach out to the MIS Wing for support,' he said. Meanwhile, district education officer (elementary), Ravinder Kaur, announced that a mega enrolment campaign will be launched on Friday with an ambitious target of enrolling 10,000 children in a single day across the district.
