Peterhoff, Shimla: Himachal CM said that Para Teachers Policy which was formed as a stop gap arrangement initially for one year, which was extended upto four years and would be extended by three more years during which the State Government would look for some suitable policy to secure the services of para teachers. He said that similar policy was also under consideration for PTA teachers of the State, so that their services were also rewarded.
Chief Minister was addressing the 2nd State-Level Para Teacher Conference at Peterhoff today.
The state might have done well in the expansion of government school network but the education standard in these institutions has deteriorated drastically over the past few years. Examination results, dropout rates and preference for private schools support this argument.
The largest public sector in employment potential has been alone experimented severely in the guise of fiscal correction measures. Consequently, teachers have been classified to many categories such as, para teachers, assistant teachers, contract teachers, PTA teachers, vidya upasaks, adhoc, stop gap, JBTs, TGTs, PGTs and so on.
It also satisfies politicians’ ego, duly flattered in the maha sammelans organised frequently by these teachers for the continuation of their services. Such an environment has lowered the teaching standard and the work culture, paving the way for dualism in education sector. Even these teachers are hesitant to enroll their children in these government schools.
It has serious implications on the widening gap between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ and urban and rural people, where less privileged class is left with no other option but to study in these schools.
In such conditions, we should be more specific about the objectives of education, whether to achieve higher literacy rates or develop human resource for the development of a nation and the civilized society?