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Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, February 22
Contrary to the claims of the Education Department, teachers of not allowing the boycott of the ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ to evaluate learning test for school students today, a near boycott of the test was observed across primary schools in the district.
Barring three schools, primary schools across the Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts today boycotted the scheduled Parho Punjab Parhao Punjab test to be held today.
Across various schools, teams were ‘gheraoed’ or villagers and school staff got together to boycott the teams visiting the schools to take the test, preventing them from appearing for the test.
Block-wise, teachers also held ‘dharnas’ against education secretary Krishan Kumar at the end of the day. Three schools which stayed open in the region were Harnamdasura West, Adarsh Nagar School and Karar School.
Angry scenes were witnessed in Mansa and Muktsar, where a DEO was slapped and ETU president and elsewhere the city SP was held captive as the boycott resulted in an altercation, in Jalandhar and Kapurthala.
However, the police did not come to any village as teams themselves returned following the stance by schools. DEO Muktsar Malkit Singh Hosa slapped an ETU president. At various other schools visiting teams were gheraoed at various schools.
A similar stand off or altercations at several schools are also expected tomorrow as various teams will visit the schools for the second day of the test scheduled to continue until March 11.
The boycott was being observed on a call given by the 1.5 lakh teachers’ strong ‘Adhyapak Sangharsh Committee’.
The committee has been seeking the regularisation of teachers for long and the provision of basic grants or provisions to schools which have been held up for school uniforms, safai sewaks, DA, SC/BC scholarships among others demands.
The instructions issued to teachers by the ‘Adhyapak Sangharsh Committee’ in the state said regarding the boycott stated, Parho Pujab Parhao Punjab test be boycotted at every school. No private communication be made with visiting teams in this regard, if they have to say something on this ask to make entries in visitors book or complain directly to officials.
They were also asked to spread the word among villagers and residents. Block helpline numbers were also released for any teacher who needs further help.
Nishant, the district president of the Adhyapak Sangharsh Committee, Kapurthala, said: “We haven’t allowed teams of the Education Department to enter the schools and will not allow them until the basic demands of teacher are fulfilled. Rather than paying heed to the demands of the teachers, the education secretary is resorting to tactics like coercing teachers through police.”
“If the Chief Minister does not address demands until the meeting scheduled for February 28, we will intensify the stir. The project stays boycotted until then,” added Nishant.
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