No money to print textbooks; PE teachers yet to get a copy in Tamil Nadu, ETEducation
Chennai: It is four months since the school education department unveiled detailed textbooks for physical education (PE) featuring step-by-step instructions for several sports and games. But not a single copy has reached any PE teacher in the state though the half-yearly examinations themselves have got over.
Reason: The school education dept has not alloted any funds to print the textbooks yet.
“The books are a boon to students as it will help them with their theoretical exams. For trainers, it gives detailed guidelines for each game and helps them improve. Though it was launched in time for quarterly exams, not even 1 copy reached a PE teacher even as half-yearly exams passed,” said Pushparajan, a PE teacher of a govt school in Kovalam.
As for intra-state school tours, held every year, PE teachers continue to spend out of pocket to meet travel and other expenses of students.
“The education department allocates a fund every year for PE. But these funds do not reach the respective schools before the commencement of tours. As a result, PE teachers spend out of pocket, sometimes up to ₹2,000-3,000 per student. The govt should make arrangements to ensure that the amount reaches the respective schools and the teachers before the tours begin,” said Sankaraperumal, president of TN Physical Education Teachers and Physical Directors Association.
When contacted, chief inspector of physical education Gopalakrishnan said reimbursement of expenses was a long process. “The amounts can only be processed after a utilisation certificate is submitted by respective chief education officers of every district for the expenses incurred by schools under their jurisdiction. But most of the time, the delay is only at the school’s end owing to improper documentation,” he added.
Printed copies of PE textbooks launched in Aug this year and the timely reimbursement of expenses borne by PE teachers for intra-state school tours, besides filling of about 3,000 vacancies in high and higher secondary schools are among the key demands placed by physical education teachers, ahead of reopening of schools on Jan 5.
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