FUNDS TO THREE ADARSH SCHOOLS PUT ON HOLD

The Punjab education department has put on hold funds of two Adarsh Schools in Faridkot and one in Moga districts due to the ongoing inquiries into alleged embezzlement and fake appointments.

PRELIMINARY INQUIRY FINDS THAT MGMT OF PPPMODE SCHOOLS EMBEZZLED FUNDS GRANTED BY THE EDUCATION DEPT

FARIDKOT: The state education department has put on hold funds of two Adarsh Schools in Faridkot and one in Moga districts due to the ongoing inquiries into alleged embezzlement and fake appointments.

The schools located at Middumann and Pacca Kalan villages in Faridkot and Ransih Kalan village in Moga and are run by the Sukh Sagar Avenue Welfare Association. Government aids Adarsh schools run in public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

An official said the department has put on hold nearly ₹50 lakh funds for the school management from July to December 2017. “The preliminary probe found that the by the management embezzled funds granted by the education department,” the official said.

Teachers and parents had complained that the committee chairman Narinder Singh Randhawa also fleeced the students of these Adarsh Schools run by charging them for books which are given for free, creating fake firms to claim the bills and receiving salaries against fake appointments.

Director general of school education (DGSE) Prashant Goyal said the funds have been stopped due to ongoing inquiries.

Over 50 staff members are working in these schools which have more than 1,400 students. Randhawa, who faces charges of rape and sexual harassment, is currently out on bail granted by the high court. The staff have not got salaries for months.

Acting chairman Harsimran Kaur Randhawa said the department has been released the funds and salary of teachers will be paid within two weeks. The Adarsh School management enjoys political patronage as they appointed Gurshwinder Singh, a close aide of Faridkot MLA Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, as director.

DEO’S CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The education department has sought inquiry reports from district education officer (secondary) Baljit Kaur Brar whose daughter-in-law was appointed vice-principal at Adarsh School, Middumann. The teachers said it is conflict of interest and would also affect the probe.