Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said school and college teachers would now solely concentrate on teaching work and not be assigned any other task, and promised to resolve their pending issues to their satisfaction soon.
He also gave "a guarantee" that Punjabi University will be freed from its whopping debt for it to regain its pristine glory as a seat of higher learning in northern India.
Mann was presiding over the valedictory function of a three-day Punjabi cinema, television and theatre mega show, jointly organised by the Punjabi Film & TV Actors' Association and Punjabi University here.
He said that imparting quality education to students was the AAP government's top priority and reiterated its commitment that no student would be denied higher education due to paucity of funds, according to an official statement.
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He said all pending issues of teachers would be resolved to their satisfaction soon and no one would be forced to resort to holding protests against the government atop water tanks.
On a few occasions earlier, teachers in Punjab had climbed atop water tanks during protests to press their various demands, including regularisation of job.
The chief minister said school and college teachers would now exclusively concentrate on teaching work as their primary duty as is done in Delhi and they would not be assigned any other task.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is in power in Delhi.
Mann said the youth would be imparted the best and quality education of global standards to make them gainfully employed across the state so as to prevent them from going abroad in search of green pastures.
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He said he had gone through ups and downs during his college days and appealed to parents not to thrust their aspirations upon their wards. Rather parents should identify the aptitude and potential of their wards so as to encourage them to excel in their field of choice, he added.
Soliciting support and cooperation of the youth to make Punjab a vibrant state, Mann exhorted them to derive inspiration from great gurus, seers and prophets, besides valiant heroes like Bhagat Singh.
He said vendetta has no place in his government and that nobody would be subjected to harassment on this count.
Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer assured the university authorities that the government would provide assistance for the promotion of education and sports.
He emphasized the need for empowerment of the youth in a positive way to make Punjab as a frontrunner state.
