Jalandhar schools sans science teachers, students opt for other streams

Tribune News Service

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Jalandhar, May 13

Satinder Kaur’s (17) father had a dream to see her as a doctor. When the science stream was introduced in her Government Senior Secondary School, Gidderpindi, both Satinder and her father were excited and got her enrolled in Class XI. However, the school had no science lecturer and it still hasn’t got any.

Fee Trouble

• A government school saw 14 students leave the science stream after one year
• Later, most of these pupils took admissions in private institutions
• There are many who can’t afford fee in private schools and thus switch to other streams

Looking into it

The department has been informed about everything. Promotions are taking place and the problem will be resolved soon. — Gurbhajan Singh Lasani, District Education Officer

This isn’t the only case. Out of eight new schools in the district where science stream was started last year, three are without required staff while others have either biology or physics lecturer.

Satinder’s father passed away due to an illness. Days passed, not even a single lecturer joined to teach science which forced Satinder to opt for the stream of arts as she couldn’t afford fees in a private school. Several so-called ‘smart schools’ claim to have a good infrastructure, but the prime requirement of teachers is still not met.

Satinder’s mother Narinder Kaur works as a helper in a private school. “I cannot even think of sending her to a school far away from us. There is one private school, but I cannot pay its fee,” she says.

Another student, Navjot Kaur (17), had also raised her hand in excitement when her class teacher sought to know who were interested to take up science. But because of no teacher, she also opted for another stream.

The government schools where the science was offered are in Alampur Bakka, Bilga, Gidderpindi, Lohian Khas, Nangal Ambian, Umarpur Kalan, Bin Palke and Shankar. The schools in Lohian Khas, Gidderpindi and Umarpur Kalan are sans teachers and students. Huge promises of provision of the best teachers in the science stream were made, but the reality struck the students soon and they either left after completing Class XI or opted for other streams.

Principals say that knowing the reality well, they couldn’t ask the students to continue when they wanted to leave after completing Class XI with much difficulty.

Science subject needs proper understanding and basic concepts cleared, they said. “We don’t want to ruin someone’s future just for the sake of admitting students,” said a principal. In a school, 14 students left after studying for a year without any lecturer and took admissions in private institutions. District Education Officer Gurbhajan Singh Lasani said, “The department has been informed about everything. Promotions are taking place and the problem will be resolved soon.”

DPI (Secondary) KPS Mahi joined last week. He said, “We will certainly look into this important issue.”

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