Better coordination between PRIs and schools stressed upon to tackle issues of drug menace among students

Diglipur, Dec. 14: To share and solve the issues related to the school students, a meeting was convened by the Deputy Education Officer at the conference hall of the office, involving the Gram Panchayat Pradhans and the Head of the Institutions of the different schools of Diglipur zone today. Welcoming the Pradhans and PRI representatives, the Deputy Education Officer, Shri R.P. Pandey briefed about the recent achievements made by the students at the state level in Kala Utsav, Energy conservation competitions, and academics. He elaborated the key features of the PM-SHREE programme of the Government, launched recently for the schools.  Appreciating the gesture of the Pradhans for coming positively for the meeting, he said that they can help the school authorities in tackling the menace of drug abuse among the students.

Expressing concerns over the surge in the drugs cases among some of the school going students, the Pradhan of the Subhash Gram Panchayat, Shri P.R Singaram said that due to less exposure to sports activities the students become vulnerable to drugs, especially the illicit Ganja. The school should engage the students in creative activities, so that their energy remains channelized in a constructive direction. The Physical Education teachers have a greater role to play in transforming the minds of the students and keeping them involved in sports activities, Shri Singaram said. The Pradhan of the R.K Gram Panchayat, Shri Shyamal Bhowmick too emphasized the need to put a check on the conduct of the students, bringing them inside the perimeter of discipline. He said that the Physical Education Teachers have to discharge their duties more efficiently to deal with the students psychologically to instil discipline and Educational values. He said the parents should keep vigil on the activities of their children and be in touch with the school.

Showing Apprehensions over the decline in the number of students in the Bangla medium schools, the Pradhan of Madhupur Panchayat, Shri Shymal Debnath said that there is a trend being seen among the parents of admitting their children in the English medium private schools. He demanded to start English medium Government Primary schools, keeping Bangla as one of the compulsory subjects. He stressed upon the need to improve the quality of the Government schools, so that the parents get encouraged to enroll their children in these schools.

Contradicting the suggestions of converting Bangla medium school into English medium, the PRI Member from Khudiram Pur, Shri K.V. Raj said that learning in his own mother tongue makes the child more efficient and it helps him to be rooted with his rich tradition and culture. He said that the efforts should be to improve the quality of Education instead of converting the medium to English.

Calling it wastage of Government money the Pradhan of Laxmipur, Shri Sujan Kumar Das said that there are many Government teachers’ quarters lying vacant for many years in Laxmipur. The representative of Ramnagar Panchayat showing his displeasure over the teachers’ quarters remaining unused said that it's unfortunate that the condition of the quarters is deteriorating, being neglected and remaining vacant for a long time.

The lady Pradhan of Kishorinagar, Smti Rita Dhali raised her demand of upgrading the Parangara School to Senior Secondary level. The Pradhan of Radhanagar, Smti Neelima Samaddar and the representative of Nabagram too joined her, highlighting the shortage of teachers in the schools of their respective areas. The Shibpur Pradhan Shri Neelu too wanted to upgrade the school of his area to senior secondary level. He said, nowadays a lot of paperwork has made the teachers overburdened and the classroom teaching is sidelined somewhere, which is a very worried state in schools.

The Incharge of the Model School Sitanagar said that the students coming from Kalighat area are forced to wait for hours at times, due to the late arrival of the bus on their return journey to home from the school. He asked the PRIs to talk to the authorities to provide school bus on time.

The Principal of the Keralapuram School, Shri B.V.R Reddy in his address said that the students give excuses in the name of online classes and are often found misusing the facilities. It is also noticed that many students have developed the habit of playing online gambling using their mobiles, which must be discouraged. Calling upon the Pradhans, Shri Reddy said that they should also take the responsibilities of the students of their area, interacting with them periodically, knowing about the social or personal problems being faced by them. Shri Reddy said that there should be a healthy atmosphere at home, so that the children learn positive attributes.

The DEO Shri R.P. Pandey, replying to the PRIs said that the department is committed to provide qualitative Education to the students and the demands related to schools’ infrastructures and other facilities are being fulfilled on priority. He had already taken up the issues at the higher level and hoped for positive results soon. All the PRIs in one voice said that they would help in all possible manner for the better education of their children.

Proposing the vote of thanks to the Pradhans and the other PRI members, for their participation, the Principal of the Subhashgram School, Shri M. Nehru said that together the society and the school can bring remarkable reforms in making school Education successful in achieving its goals. The head of the family should create a conducive environment at home, encouraging the children to imbibe moral values to become good human beings, he said. 

All the Pradhans of the 15 Panchayats and the other members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions participated in this brainstorming meeting held today.