Despite claims by the Punjab government of improved conditions in government-run schools, the ground reality in Ludhiana district tells a different story. Currently, a concerning number of at least 40 schools in the district are operating without principals, raising questions about the effectiveness of the education system.
As reported by Hindustan Times, several senior secondary schools, including those in Noorpur Bet, Chaunta, Manupur, Maloud, Kaddon, Dhamot, Hans Kalan, Raikot, and Sunet, find themselves without a principal. Shockingly, some of these institutions have been functioning without a head for nearly a year, leaving a void that senior teachers are compelled to fill without receiving any incentives.
An anonymous senior teacher, who has been acting as the principal since May, shed light on the challenges faced by officiating principals. "Starting from salary issues, grants, to any other permissions, we have to leave during school hours to visit the principal given DDO powers in another school almost every day," teacher told HT.
"If there was a principal in our school, everything could have been done under the same roof. Adding to our woes, we do not receive any incentives for playing the part of an officiating principal. Instead, we are burdened with double responsibilities," added the teacher.
The absence of higher authorities has not only impacted administrative tasks but has also resulted in a decline in discipline among teachers, affecting the overall school environment. A teacher from a school without a principal since June 2023 highlighted the challenges, told HT, "Besides the official services taking a hit due to the absence of higher authority, the school faculty also tends to be casual towards their responsibilities. As one of the senior teachers is in a high position tentatively, their counterparts do not take them seriously."
