Muktsar DEO ‘slaps’ teacher protesting ‘Padho Punjab’ scheme

MUKTSAR : High drama was witnessed at Buraj Sidhwan village elementary school in Malout block on Friday after an elementary teacher, Harry Bathla, accused district education officer, Malkeet Singh Khosa, of slapping him. Bathla heads the Muktsar Elementary Teacher Union.

The teachers had been protesting against the testing of students of Classes 1-5 for their learning levels as part of the ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ programme of the state government. The programme is meant to ensure that primary school children are well-acquainted with basic concepts of critical life-skill subjects like mathematics and languages, especially Punjabi.

The process of testing is being called post-test and teachers have been against the move, claiming that the system was being forced on them. They also claim that the testing had come at the wrong time, as final examinations were to begin in March second week.

Fearing protests by teachers, already on a warpath with the government over the issue of regularisation and the salaries being offered to them, police was deployed outside schools in Ludhiana, Patiala and other districts.

“We were protesting against the ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ project as this is not beneficial for students. Upset at this, the DEO Malkeet Singh slapped me. Police have not taken any action against him. We will continue our protest,” Bathla said.

We were protesting against the ‘Padho Punjab, Padhao Punjab’ project as this is not beneficial for students. Upset at this, the DEO Malkeet Singh slapped me. HARRY BATHLA, head Muktsar Elementary Teacher Union

ISSUE RESOLVED, SAYS DEO

Malkeet Singh, DEO, Muktsar, said, “The issue has been resolved. It was an issue within the family. I will put up the suggestions of teachers on the project before education secretary Krishan Kumar.”

In Bathinda, teachers laid siege to the DEO at the elementary school in Yatri village in Maur.