12,710 Contractual Teachers Regularised in Punjab
The Punjab government achieved a significant milestone on Friday by regularizing 12,710 contractual teachers, marking a historic day for education in the state. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann handed over the long-awaited regularisation letters to the teachers during a ceremony, acknowledging their vital role in transforming students' lives. He expressed his commitment to securing their future, as he believes that teachers can best shape students' destinies when their own job status is stable.
In addition to the regularisation, the government unveiled a new initiative to benefit 20,000 government school students. A dedicated bus service will be launched, primarily aimed at assisting girl students in completing their studies. The pilot project will cover 12,000 girls and 8,000 boys, and it has received a budget of Rs 21 crore. To ensure the safety and security of the students, the buses will be equipped with GPS devices, allowing parents to track their movements and providing peace of mind for girls studying in government schools.
During the event, emotions ran high when a grateful teacher thanked the chief minister for regularizing her job. Bhagwant Mann, who comes from a family of educators, empathized with the struggles faced by the teaching fraternity and pledged to resolve all their issues. He criticized previous governments for neglecting the teachers, who had to endure meager salaries and protest for their rightful rights. Mann expressed frustration at the lack of understanding among certain leaders living in luxury, who failed to grasp the realities faced by the people at the grassroots level.
According to the official statement, the regularization will result in improved emoluments for the teachers, with salary increments and additional benefits to be provided every year. The teachers will now solely focus on their teaching responsibilities, as the government decided not to assign them any non-teaching duties.
In another instance, the Union government requested 66,000 teachers for a census in the state, but Bhagwant Mann declined the request, opting to engage unemployed youth instead. This decision aims to offer the youth an opportunity to gain firsthand experience in government work.
Overall, these measures by the Punjab government reflect a genuine commitment to uplifting the education sector and supporting teachers in their noble endeavor of shaping the future of the state's students.