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Pb. Current Affairs

12th, April, 2022

Topic: Education

Importance: Punjab PCS Mains

What is the news?

DEOs to ensure compliance of the fee cap by private schools in Punjab.

Reason for this step:

Having drawn criticism for the non-implementation of the Chief Minister’s order regarding capping of fee to be charged by private schools in Punjab, the government is all set to issue letters to district education officers (DEOs), asking them to ensure the orders are complied with.
The DEOs will, in turn, inform schools about the government decision, restricting them from increasing the fee. Since many schools have hiked the fee for the new academic session, citing a law passed by the previous state government that allowed them to effect an eight per cent increase, the letter being sent will ask such schools to explain their move.
Even after the CM announced the fee cap, several schools had gone ahead with the fee hike, some by as much as 50 per cent. Parents of children have been protesting against this increase.

Legal Provision:

Legally, schools covered under The Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016, can hike the fee by eight per cent annually. To cap fee hike, the state government will have to bring in a new law, overriding the provisions of this law. Sources say it will take some months before the law can be enacted.
Top functionaries in the state government told The Tribune there were court rulings that sought to examine if the reasons cited by schools for effecting a fee hike were actually adhered to by the schools. “As of now, we are going to use this legal provision to ensure no one increases the fee beyond eight per cent, and also explain to state education department the reason for fee hike,” he said.
The schools are also being asked to identify and widely circulate list of 20 stationery/uniform shops in cities having municipal corporations, from where students/their parents can buy stationery and uniform from.

(Source: Punjab Tribune)

Topic: Drugs Deaddiction Challenges

Importance: Punjab PCS Mains

What is the news?

Punjab’s drug de-addiction treatment model is incomplete, finds a PGI study.

Where is the Study Published?

As per the study published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Noncommunicable Diseases, the treatment model for drug addiction being implemented in Punjab does not cover the prevention and control of substance abuse in the state. “A strong prevention and control component is critical and crucial for substance abuse prevention in the state.”

What does the study say?

The study found that one in seven (15 per cent) people in Punjab were dependent on any substance, licit or illicit. “This figure, when compared in a global context is much higher than expected. The overall substance use is predominant in men and significantly more common in rural areas.”
The study laid emphasis on introducing ‘Punjab Substance Abuse Prevention Plan (P-SAP)’ for a holistic approach, focusing on health promotion and continuum of care approach (Prevention-Treatment-Rehabilitation) targeting Supply Demand-Harm reduction Measures.
The study has suggested building resource centers to build the capacity of health and non-health sector players associated with de-addiction efforts. Both health and non-health sectors such as home (police), sports and youth affairs, education and NGOs would partner the P-SAP. The health sector would contribute in providing stewardship, building capacity, delivering services, providing technical support, monitoring and evaluation, awareness generation and conducting research.
Among non-health sectors, the Home Department will take care of law enforcement for interruption in supply of drugs, District Drug and Rehabilitation Society will provide support in the development of District Action Plan and its implementation by ensuring coordination among other relevant non-health departments; Department of Social Justice and Empowerment will be responsible for capacity-building, providing resources, social marketing and focused implementation of the campaign, Department of Education will be involved in the review of curriculum, implementation of the campaign and formation of regional resource centres (RRCs) for implementing and coordinating school and college-level activities, Department of Sports and this model should be implemented in the state and can be tried and adapted in other states of India and low and middle-income countries.
“Implementation requires political and administrative will with participation of all political parties and key stakeholders. Life skill education should be introduced in school education and should become part of the curriculum,” said Prof JS Thakur, School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Shortcomings in treatment:

As per the study published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Noncommunicable Diseases, the treatment model for drug addiction being implemented in Punjab does not cover the prevention and control of substance abuse in the state.