While terming the opposition's charges totally baseless, PunjabSchool Education Minister Mr Vijay Inder Singla, on Tuesday, said that theschool education department had not at all increased the probation period ofnewly recruited teachers from 3 to 4 years. The cabinet minister said thatrather, the department has been quite sympathetic towards the genuine problemsof the teachers which was quite evident from the fact that the 3,582 teachersrecruited in border areas, have been allowed to apply for transfer after twoyears of service.
The cabinet minister said that 'The Punjab Education (Posting OfTeachers In Disadvantageous Area) Bill, 2021, passed today in Vidhan Sabha, isaimed to ensure availability of teachers in educationally disadvantageous areasof Punjab. He added that the objective of the bill was to regulate the postingsof teachers upon their initial recruitment in order to ensure availability ofteachers in educationally disadvantageous areas where usually posts of teachersremain vacant.
The minister said that by passing the new bill, the educationdepartment would offer postings to newly recruited teachers near their homes asapart from the border districts, several other educational blocks have beenincluded in the educationally disadvantageous area. He added that theseeducational blocks would be the areas where twenty percent or more posts ofteachers remained vacant during the recruitment year and would be reviewedevery year.
Mr Vijay Inder Singla said that the opposition leaders weremisleading the people with false claims that the Punjab government will extendthe probation of teachers from three to four years by passing this bill. Headded that the bill contained customary language regarding probation which wasbeing misinterpreted by the opposition. He added that the department ofpersonnel had already notified in October 2017 that the total period ofprobation including extension, if any, shall not exceed four years, ofrecruited by the direct appointment and three years if appointed otherwise.
He also shared the provision of the bill which has been dealingwith the probation period of the teachers.
The provision reads, "The Department invariably recruitsteachers almost every year. The new teachers recruited are required to remainon probation for a period of three years, which is extendable to four years,and such teachers need to be posted in Disadvantages Area having shortage ofteachers."
The minister said that the probation period of teachers would beextended only in a special case where the performance of an employee could notbe found satisfactory during his or her initial years.