Ferozepur, April 21, 2013: Presently, the Punjab Government is paying 95 per cent grant to the aided schools and by paying extra 5 per cent to such staff in the aided schools, by merging them in the government schools, the problem of teacher-ration could be easily solved besides protecting the services of the employees, said Ajay Thukral, President, Punjab Government Aided School Teachers and Employees Union.
Thukral said, “The Punjab Government has ordered the merger of 480 government schools which are having less number of students but teachers over and above the required norm. The teachers are also being shifted to other government schools so that the student-teacher ratio is maintained. In addition, the schools which are not conforming to the Right to Education Act norms also are being merged with other schools.”
He further said, “The Punjab Government has taken the strong decision of merger of aided schools with governments schools and in case they are merged alongwith the staff, the problem of teacher-student ratio could be solved.
Ajay Thukral, President, Punjab Government Aided School Teachers and Employees Union said, in case the government has taken the decision to merge the schools, it would be more appropriate if the teachers of aided schools and students are also shifted to the adjoining government schools which will help in maintaining the student-teacher ratio because the buildings of aided schools are owned by the managing committees of the schools and they may or may not give the same to the government.
Giving the examples of schools in Fazilka, Thukral said, there are 6 primary and 2 high schools in Fazilka. Guru Nanak Sikh Kanya Pathshala Primary School is aided by the Punjab Government and at the distance of about 20 meter, there is Govt. Primary School No.3. Both these schools can be merged in one building. Similarly, AD Elementary Primary School, Satsang Elementary Primary School and SD Grils Primary School, which are aided schools, could be shifted in Govt. Primary School No.2, the students and teachers can be adjusted in one school. He further said, in another Arya Putri Pathshala, there is only one female teacher who is going to retire in October 2013 and in case the SD School and DA Schools are also merged in the adjoining government schools, the problem could be easily solved because the aided schools are being given the grant of 95 per cent and only by paying extra 5 per cent additional funds, the services of the staff can be protected besides managing the teacher-students ratios.
Thukral appealed to the Chief Minister, Education Minister, Education Secretary and Finance Secretary to issue the notification for merging of aided schools into government schools immediately so that the future of staff and students of aided and government schools is secured.