A delegation of AAP MLAs led by leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema today called on the Hon'ble Governor of Punjab V.P.Singh Badnore and submitted him memorandum regarding the demands of agitating 8886 teachers who are demanding regularization of their services on full pay after working on Rs.7000 for four years on adhoc basis.The AAP delegation also brought to the notice of Governor the wretched condition of government schools and declining standards of education in government schools. The delegation demanded to implement the Delhi model of education in the state to improve the education standards. The memorandum highlighted that Delhi government was spending 26 percent of total budget on education whereas Punjab has earmarked only 4 percent of its budget for education.The AAP leaders informed the Governor that more than 6000 classrooms in about 1500 government schools have been declared unsafe and students were forced to sit in unsafe buildings.The condition of school buildings in border areas is worst and no funds are provided for infrastructure.
Cheema was accompanied by Principal Budh Singh, Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Amar Arora,Gurmit Singh Meert Hayer,Amarjit Singh Sandoa, Rupinder Kaur Rubi, Manjit Singh Bilaspur,Kulwant Singh Pandori(all MLAs), state unit secretary Jagtar Singh Sanghera,Majha zone incharge Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Jastej Singh Arora co-president state legal cell and Manjit Singh Sidhu state media in charge.Cheema while talking to media men outside Governor House said that Punjab government decision to scale down salaries of teachers was irresponsible and immoral. This has lowered the prestige of the teaching community and demoralized the teachers who were working on lower pay scales for the last ten years. He said that this decision had disturbed the whole teaching community. He demanded to regularize the teachers on full pay scales and fill the vacancies in the schools. He said that lack of teachers was adversely hitting education of poor and dalit students who have no other option than government schools.AAP leader also demanded to regularize 5178 adhoc teachers since they have completed their probation period fo three years till September 2017.He said that even after four years these teachers are getting Rs.7000 per month.