Asks govt to take measures to fill vacancies,rationalise deployment,strengthen vocational training and build adequate infrastructure in schools across Punjab There is a 23 per cent shortage of teaching staff in government schools. The deployment of teachers in commerce and mathematics streams was not done as per norms. The schools do not have adequate classrooms,toilets,playgrounds and desks either. All these points were highlighted in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report. As intimated by Director,Public Instructions (Secondary Education),the CAG says,against 74,198 sanctioned posts of teachers,17,366 posts (23.40 per cent) were vacant. The posts have been sanctioned with reference to one teacher for 40 students in Classes 6 to 10 and one teacher for 60 students at Plus Two level. In Amritsar district,three posts of commerce lecturers in three schools with a strength varying from 10 to 37,have been vacant since 2005-06,whereas six commerce lecturers were deployed in four other schools in the district with no student in the stream. Also,51 per cent schools have no security guards. Twenty per cent schools in the six districts checked had shortage of desks and 27 per cent did not have enough classrooms,while 15 per cent schools had no playgrounds and 11 per cent schools no toilets,the report said. The CAG said the objective of imparting vocational training to the students of Class XI and XII was broadly not achieved. Also,the pass percentage in Class XII was stagnating during 2005 to 2010. The performance audit of secondary education in the state disclosed that funds released for various schemes during 2005 to 2010 were far below the budgetary provisions and were grossly under utilised. The state government also did not utilise Rs 124.58 crore of the Central funds released during the same period. According to the Punjab Education Policy 2002,there was supposed to be a Jan Sampark Abiyan every year for one week when all officers of the state and the district administration were to visit schools for spot evaluation of the existing facilities,redressal of the problems of students and teachers and to meet community leaders for their assessment of schools. But scrutiny of records said no such abhiyan was held between 2005 and 2010. It has been recommended by the CAG that the government should fill up vacancies and rationalise deployment of staff,identify the chronically poor performing schools and take measures to improve them and strengthen vocational training. Besides,the report said,the government should make proper infrastructure classrooms,toilets,playgrounds and furniture.
