Punjab education dept summons school heads who jostled for plates

A few school heads exhibited indiscipline during the lunch served at the CM’S event on May 10. The viral video has defamed the state education department. EDUCATION DEPT COMMUNIQUE

LUDHIANA: A week after a video of teachers jostling for plates at chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s event in Ludhiana went viral on social media, the director general of school education (DGSE) has summoned nine officials, including principals and headmasters.

The incident took place on May 10 when the CM held a meeting with government school principals and education department officials in Ludhiana.

In the video, teachers were seen jostling and pushing each other in an attempt to snatch plates from a waiter.

Taking serious note of the misconduct, the DGSE has asked district education officers (senior secondary) of Fazilka and Gurdaspur, three principals, three headmasters and a block primary education officer (BPEO) to report at the office of director general of school education at Mohali on May 20.

According to the communication sent by office of the director general of school education on May 17, seven teachers identified in the viral video are from Fazilka and Gurdaspur districts.

“A few school heads exhibited indiscipline during the lunch served at the CM’S event on May 10. The viral video has defamed the state education department,” read the communiqué.

Those identified in the viral video include Jasbir Kaur, principal of Government Senior Secondary Smart School (GSSSS), Jaitu Sarja, Gurdaspur, Rajni Bala, principal of GSSSS, Hargobindpur, Gurdaspur, Rajiv Kumar, headmaster, Giddranwali, Fazilka, Kundan Singh, headmaster, Chak Soorghuri, Fazilka, Ashima, principal,

GSSSS Kheo Wali Dhab, Fazilka, Jaspal, BPEO, Guru Har Sahai, Fazilka, and Anil Kumar, headmaster, Punjawa Mandala, Fazilka.

They have been summoned to explain the “sheer misconduct” exhibited by them at the CM’S event. “Those who won’t reach the head office at 10am on May 20, would face departmental action,” reads the order.

Endorsing the action taken by the education department, principal-cum-nodal officer (media), Ludhiana, Davinder Singh Chhina said: “Such misconduct on the part of few teachers has brought a bad name to fraternity.”

Some teachers blamed the Ludhiana administration and education department for not making proper arrangements for the function which according to them led to chaos.

“Principals and school heads of Ludhiana were made to sit outside the venue citing less space. Moreover, since the food arrangement was not up to the mark, teachers who had travelled from far-off districts, hurried towards the plate section,” said a Ludhiana school principal.