Bedi asks officials to engage retired teachers to overcome

On her second day of inspection of government schools to improve their functioning, Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today asked authorities to rope in retired teachers and professionals to handle classes so as to tackle the vacancy situation.
During her visit to the Bharathiar Boys Higher Secondary School in nearby Bahoor for the second successive day, she asked Education officials to conduct a survey in neighbouring villages to identify retired teachers and professionals who could be used on ad hoc basis to handle classes at the school.
She also asked the students in higher classes to teach the junior students whenever there was want of teachers, a release from the Lt Governor's office said.

Bedi had yesterday announced she would undertake surprise visits of rural government schools in the Union Territory to address the woes of the students.
She visited the school in Bahoor after receiving a complaint from a woman at a recent open house meeting that it lacked proficient teaching staff.
During a meeting today, teachers informed Bedi that there was delay in allocation of funds sanctioned for improving amenities at the school.

"Want of funds is the immediate cause of poor upkeep of the school," the teachers told her during a meeting.
Secretary to Lt Governor Theva Needhi Dhas, who was present, asked Director of School Education L Kumar at the meeting to release the funds needed for the school and also to other schools so that petty requirements including availability of black boards could be ensured.

After getting feed back from the students, the Lt Governor asked them to improve their communication skill in English as it would "increase their prospects of employment and going in for higher education."
She gave time to the students till November this year to improve their skill in English speaking and communication.
A competition in essay writing and in speaking in English would be conducted and best students would be presented tablet computers for their proficiency in the competition.
The release said Bedi would keep visiting the rural government schools to work out a comprehensive management and supervisory system for them.

"This would contribute a lot to improve quality of education in the institutions and the next generation would be benefitted by this strategy," it added.