Only qualified teachers to be appointed under PTA scheme:CM

Dharamsala, Dec 29 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today assured the Vidhan Sabha that only teachers fulfilling the minimum qualifications would be appointed under Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) scheme.

Replying to a discussion initiated by Mohinder Singh and Ishwar Dass Dhiman (both BJP) , he said that there government had already announced that 50 per cent of the salary and Dearness Allowance for appointment of teachers under the scheme would be reimbursed by the government to PTAs.

He said 80 per cent of headmasters being promoted were from Kangra, Hamirpur and Una districts and even in his own constituency, there were large number of vacancies. The PTA scheme had enabled even those schools to have teachers which were without teachers for years but this did not mean that recruitment of regular teachers will not be made, he added.

Mr Singh denied that there was any politics in appointment of teachers by PTA and reminded BJP that it was during their regime that the chairman of Subordinate Services Selection Board was found guilty of irregularities in the appointments of Vidya Upasaks and he had been sentenced to three years imprisonment in four cases while more cases were pending.

During the discussion, BJP members alleged that the presidents of a large number of Parent Teachers Associations were changed overnight by some design, paving way for appointment of favourites.

They also alleged that in many schools, regular teachers were shifted to make room for appointment of teachers through PTAs.

However, Congress members commended the scheme and congratulated the Chief Minister for providing Rs six crore for payment of teachers in PTA scheme.

UNI AS JN VD HS1836