BACK
On the ISC Front
Lt Gen Kartar Singh*
As readers well know we lost our great leader, friend and
philosopher in Dr Kharak Singh ji. He was an Ideologue par
excellence. It was on the momentous day of 11th Dec. 2005
when this outstanding and devout Sikh laid the foundation
of the International Sikh Confederation (Sansar Sikh Sanstha).
We are now three years old – years wherein our organization
has established itself in the country. Our members are our
strength. We are endeavouring to put ourselves on the international
map and I’m sure our NRI members, will now activate
themselves and the ISC. The best tribute we can pay Dr.
Kharak Singh ji is to march forward in greater strength
with emphasis on the uplift of the Sikh community and all
mankind – do remember that sarbat da bhala is our
motto.
On the Education Front
We have made good progress in the coaching classes for rural
students at Mukandpur, Distt. Nawanshahr and Khant Manpur
near Morinda. There are now two batches of rural children
being coached for professional competitions in each center,
i.e., present +1 and +2 class students who have been admitted
to these classes and are diligently and successfully pursuing
their studies.
Preparation for NDA/IMA Entrance Examination
HQ Defence Welfare Organisation Jalandhar is already running
professionally excellent classes for entry to NDA and IMA.
On my last visit to this excellent training center, Col
Manmohan Singh who heads the centre has agreed to accept
batches of eligible rural students sponsored by us. The
ISC will finance this project and we are due to finalize
this project very soon. Brig Kuldip Singh Kang, our worthy
member and an experienced officer has undertaken to liaise
and organize this project designated as ‘Aghe Vadho’.
We shall soon follow this up with a course to train unemployed
youth in villages for recruitment into the lower ranks of
the Armed Forces.
Baba Sewa Singh ji (Kar Sewa Wale) had already been requested
to run such a course for rural unemployed youth at Khadoor
Sahib in Distt Tarn Taran. He responded most willingly and
I had the honour of inaugurating the first course. After
three months of intense training, these young men look forward
to success in entering the Armed Forces. Baba ji is also
training youth in hockey and is very confident that most
of them will don India colors very soon.
Co-Ordinating NGO Activities
After a preliminary meeting of a few NGO’s who are
already doing good work on the education front in Punjab
and neighboring states, we had scheduled a meeting of all
NGO’s / organizations propagating education in Punjab
on 20 Dec 2008. This led to a whole day of presentations
and discussions with the following aims and objectives:-
a Awareness in full of each other’s projects.
b Limitation if any so that others may help out.
c Future plans with proposed budgets.
d Whatever help can the ISC render in terms of co-ordinating
various spheres of activity and filling gaps where required.
e Need to avoid duplication of effort where necessary.
f The role of the ISC in rendering help where necessary.
g Responsibility to be given to our various chapters in
Punjab to render help and co-ordination.
h Need to keep each other updated in the future with regard
to various educational activities by all participants.
The seminar on 20 Dec 2008 was a complete success. We had
a number of representatives from NGO’s active in Punjab
and eminent educationists attending and expressing their
views. We have collated their views and are in the process
of analyzing them so as to formulate concrete action-oriented
projects. Some useful inputs obtained are listed below:
-
a Village Uplift in Education: There is need for NGO’s
to adopt villages that are particularly backward. Interaction
with the Panchayats and Gurdwaras would be the starting
point, leading to NGO’s setting up Primary and then
Secondary Schools with excellent dedicated staff.
b Setting up of libraries and giving Panchayats the responsibility
to encourage youth to utilize these.
c Indoctrination of backward villages and NRI’s to
divert funds towards educational uplift rather than building
Gurdwaras, Gates and Monuments.
All participants felt that the number of NGOs operating
in Punjab were insufficient. There is an urgent need for
the ISC to persuade the Punjab Government to bring in NGOs
for each District. When this is achieved, NGOs could even
cover each block.
The need to strengthen the liaison between the various NGOs
and the SGPC was strongly felt. In fact all participants
felt that the ISC should undertake this task with vigour.
We also need to encourage the setting up of career guidance
camps so as to closely interact with and guide rural students
in the right direction. In fact we need to publish and distribute
pamphlets in Punjabi on career planning.
The availability of well qualified teachers in various subjects
especially in English, Science and Mathematics was a stark
reality. The ISC needs to tackle this on a long term basis.
Too much reliance being placed on induction of teachers
from other states is a negative factor.
Improvement in Government Schools
Our readers know that 75% to 80 % of our people reside in
the rural areas of Punjab. Education standards are below
par. Towards improvement, we had in 2006 carried out research
in this sphere and sent concrete advice to the Punjab Government
with regard to instituting measures to improve the set-up.
On review of the set-up and analysis of the results, we
have found some improvement. But this is far from satisfactory.
We have now forwarded our analysis based on this year’s
results in the 8th, 10th and 12th classes to Sardar Parkash
Singh Badal, the honourable Chief Minister. The effect has
been good and as per recent press reports, which some of
you would have read, the government has taken many steps
to improve things in Government schools. Our stress on holding
teachers responsible and accountable based on results has
borne fruit. We have a very capable DG of Higher Secondary
Education in Shri Krishan Kumar. He has instituted path
breaking reforms such as monthly inspections of schools,
surprise checks, the EDUSAT scheme for coaching and various
other measures. We in the ISC fully support these measures
and will continue to monitor results in the future (A copy
of our letter to the CM is attached at Appendix ‘A’).
Conclusion
Our schemes and projects on the Education front are gradually
bearing fruit. Let us strengthen these financially so that
there is no pause in our valiant efforts due to paucity
of funds. The Guru Nanak Education Fund (GNEF) beckons you
for donations. I must mention a touching gesture by our
founder, the late Dr. Kharak Singh Ji and his family. They
have contributed Rupees Five Lakhs to the GNEF recently,
in addition to their generous donations earlier. As a tribute
to this noble gesture let us vow to strengthen our resolve
to help the needy section of our population starting with
the rural areas of Punjab.
~~~
To
Sardar Prakash Singh Badal,
Honourable Chief Minister of Punjab,
Punjab Central Secretariat,
Sector 1, Chandigarh
Sub: State of Education
in Government Schools of Rural Punjab
Sir,
1. The Institute of Sikh Studies (IOSS) and the International
Sikh Confederation had organised a Seminar on the above
subject on 1st and 2nd October 06. A number of educationists
and scholars from all walks of life had submitted papers
and many intellectuals took active part in the Seminar.
2. Finally a panel of the following was constituted:
Dr. Kharak Singh Mann
Dr. Sardara Singh Johl Lt. Gen. Kartar Singh Gill PVSM (Retd.)
S. Gurdev Singh IAS (Retd.) Dr. Anup Singh Principal G.S.
Shergill (Retd.) S. Pritam Singh Bhogal Prof. Kulwant Singh
3. A “Memorandum to the Punjab Government” was
duly submitted along with very elaborate recommendations.
This was forwarded to HE Governor of Punjab, the Honourable
Chief Minister and the Education Minister of Punjab in October
06. HE the Governor then forwarded this to the Director
of Education, Punjab with Information to us.
4. We kept a close eye on the results of Government Higher
Secondary Schools in Rural Punjab. We do find improvement
in certain aspects such as pass percentages. However, Mathematics
and English need considerable improvement. Our detailed
comments on the results of 8th, 10th & 10+2 classes
based on official result sheets obtained from the Punjab
Education Board are at Appendix ‘A’.
5. With regard to science subjects there is a visible weakness
in that many Blocks in Punjab do not cater for the science
stream at all. For example in the Nadala Block of District
Kapurthala no school caters to science students. This is
mainly the reason why rural students are not able to reach
the University level as well as remain well behind others
in Competitive Examinations.
6. Our member organization from Delhi, i.e., the Gian Sewa
Trust whose active Chairman S. Harwinder Singh Phoolka has
toured Punjab and has actively observed the lack of dedication
of teachers in most Government Schools. The Education Department
has not made the Principals and Teachers accountable with
regard to punctuality in attendance, dedication and maintaining
discipline, providing quality education and preventing drop
outs.
7. We have no doubts that the Honourable CM, who is already
conscious of Punjab’s weakness on the education front,
will initiate measures to remedy this situation. Adarsh
Schools fulfil a secondary requirement, whereas Government
schools are the primary means of rendering good education
in rural Punjab where 75% of our people reside. The taxpayer
has a big stake in this widespread and costly existing infrastructure.
Government teachers are getting a handsome pay but their
contribution is not noteworthy. We must not shirk from taking
strong action to instill discipline and accountability in
the delinquent teachers in Government Schools especially
in our rural areas.
8. We urge you to direct the Education Ministry and Director
Education concerned to hold these teachers responsible for
poor results, and helping in the use of unfair means in
examinations. These teachers, who are handsomely paid, must
ensure genuine improved results in university and School
examinations. We assure you of public support in this regard.
In this respect any support required from us will be rendered
spontaneously.
9. We request you earnestly to take urgent action in this
regard as Punjab’s future lies in the speedy uplift
of school education in rural areas.
1. Lt. Gen. Kartar Singh Gill PVSM (Retd.)
2. S. Gurdev Singh Brar IAS (Retd.)
3. Bibi Baljit Kaur
4. Lt. Col. J.S. Multani
5. Prof. Kulwant Singh
6. S. Gurpreet Singh
7. S. Khushal Singh
APPENDIX ‘A’
STATE OF EDUCATION
IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOL OF RURAL PUNJAB
1. We have obtained
the summary of results from the Punjab Schools Education
Board for standard 8, 10 and 10+2 for the year 2008. These
also indicate the comparison between results of the year
2007 and 2008.
8th Class Results
2. In two most important subjects i.e. English and Mathematics
the results are as follows: -
Subject Total Students Passed Passed % 2008
a. Mathematics 436980 298188 68.24
b. English 436980 272806 62.43
Remarks:
a. 1,64,174 Students have failed (pass % 62.43) against
61.26 % in 2007
b. 1, 38,792 failed. Pass % is 68.24 against 49.76 in 2007
Matric Results
3. Results in English and Mathematics are follows: -
Subject Total Students Passed Passed % 2008 a. English 268720
215561 80.22
b. Mathematics 268720 15526 57.76
Remarks:
a. 50159 students failed
b. 113514 students failed
10+2 Results (Science and Commerce Group)
4. The results here are much better. Because of drop outs
the total number of students is naturally much less. However
results in Mathematics indicate that 3219 students out of
a total 18676 have failed.
10+2 Results (Humanities)
5. The results here are very good.
General Remarks
6. Students in rural areas are basically weak in English
and Math. In fact those who have passed too are very weak
in spoken and written English. The result is that a very
small percentage is successful in various competitive examinations.
Besides we also know that our Examination Centres still
condone copying and use of unfair means. Hence above results
are not true indications of the quality of those who pass.
¤
©Copyright Institute of Sikh Studies,
2007, All rights reserved.
