Punjab education department to introduce cluster system for judicious use of faculty

There are several schools in Punjab which are either single teacher schools or having couple of teachers only. Also some schools have surplus staff too and such staff can be sent to teacher-deficit schools to rationalise the students- teacher ratio. There are several districts where even the Education Department has to work with just 60 to 70 per cent staff only.

The sources in the department informed that the panchayats of various villages across the state had informed the department that they have been providing teaching staff in the government schools of their villages so that students’ studies are not affected.

This system would ensure the judicious use of the available teaching faculty within the designated clusters. The list of the schools falling within the cluster will be decided by the Director Public Instructions (Secondary Education) on the recommendation of the District Education Officers.

“The Cluster Incharge Principal shall be authorised to make the adjustments within the cluster to depute teachers from the schools having surplus teachers to the schools facing scarcity of teachers. However, the arrangement would be temporary till the end of the academic session or till the posts are filled through rationalisation, recruitment, promotion etc.,” said a school principal, adding that due to strong political connections some teachers are sitting in schools which are teacher-surplus.

To make adjustments, the Cluster Incharge Principal would have to send a proposal directly to the Nodal Officer in the office of the DPI for seeking approval.

In case, the Cluster Incharge Principals are still not able to fulfill the deficiency of the teachers in their respective clusters, then the concerned District Education Officers (DEOs) would identify some teachers from any school where the teachers are either surplus or he can take out some teachers on administrative grounds. The DEO would prepare a proposal and send the same to the Nodal Officer for seeking approval from the DPI (SE).