Badal reviews functioning of school education

Chandigarh, Nov 17 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today directed the School Education Department to implement the Rs 132 crore NABARD assisted scheme for upgradation of infrastructure in government senior secondary schools with science stream in true spirit.

Presiding over a high level meeting to review the functioning of the School Education Department here, he said that under the scheme Rs 112 crore would be contributed by NABARD and Rs 20 crore as a matching grant by the State Government.

The underlying objective of this scheme was to ensure adequate civil infrastructure in terms of building, laboratories etc. besides installation of computers in rural schools to impart science education to students in the right earnest.

Mr Badal also directed the department to immediately complete formalities to fill up 15,000 vacant posts of teachers in primary and high schools as advertised recently.

It was informed in the meeting that the department has received 2.27 lakh applications against these posts and the process of scrutiny was on.

The Chief Minister underlined the need to rationalize the procedure of postings of teachers. He said teachers were hankering after urban postings that resulted in the gross neglect of studies in the rural schools due to the dearth of requisite teachingstaff.

Mr Badal categorically said that new postings of teachers should be strictly made on merit and be posted only in those schools which faced acute shortage of teachers.

Mr Badal also directed the department to extend the scheme of Midday meal to upper primary classes from class 6th to class 8th also.

UNI