In bid to bring sweeping reforms in the school education system, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a special meeting with the Government School Principals here at a private resort to seek inputs from them to raise the bar of school education.Speaking on the occasion the Chief Minister said that the people have lost faith in the present government education system.Bhagwant Mann said that there is no doubt about the humongous capabilities and capacities of government teachers , but it is need of the hour to rebuild people’s trust in the government education system, which could only be achieved with people’s wholehearted participation and support. At the same time, we also need to boost confidence of students to make them job providers from job seekers.Pointing out further, Bhagwant Mann said that his government would provide fulsome support to the teachers for making the current education system practically viable besides more relevant and beneficial in the day to day life.
The Chief Minister said that his government was committed to stop brain drain by bringing back Industry in the state where our youth would be provided enormous jobs. Therefore, special emphasis would be laid on imparting quality technical education instead of focusing on securing high percentage.Highlighting the achievements of the Kejriwal Government in the education sector in Delhi, Bhagwant Mann said that four lac students have shifted from private schools to government schools. He said that from Delhi every year 450 students get admissions in prestigious institutions like IIT and Delhi Government has built 10000 rooms in government schools.Divulging further, the Chief Minister said that to take our education to the next level our teachers would be sent on educational tours to Delhi Schools and even abroad for education training in batches to countries like Singapore, Switzerland, Finland and institutes like Harvard and Oxford etc. on government expenses. He said that the Delhi model of education would be implemented in Punjab besides the ideas of our teachers for strengthening the education system in the state.
Bhagwant Mann said that NRIs were ready to adopt government schools but their money should be judiciously utilised for providing the advanced educational techniques to students, rather just building rooms.Bhagwant Mann also announced annual awards for best government school teachers and principals. He said that every year 10 best performing teachers and principals would be honoured.Chief Minister launched an online portal to seek ideas and suggestions from teachers for bringing out of box educational reforms. He said that teachers should send ideas online through this portal so as to change the conventional system of education to make education system paperless, digitally empowered and introduction of Parents Teacher Meet (PTM) etc.Bhagwant Mann also assured the teachers that on the lines of Delhi government the Punjab government would not take any other work from teachers except teaching. He said that a lot of time was wasted by putting teachers in other duties therefore they are not able to concentrate on teaching work.
Earlier the education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer welcomed the Chief Minister by presenting him a book.Addressing on the occasion, Hayer assured that views and suggestions from all the teachers are welcomed and every input would be meticulously discussed. School Education Minister also said that all meaningful ideas for making Punjab number one in the education sector would be implemented in all schools. Education Minister said that qualities of honesty, sincerity and hard work would be duly honoured and there is no space for dishonesty in the Bhagwant Mann led Government.Prominent present on the occasion included MLAs Sarvajit Kaur Manunke, Rajinderpal Kaur Chhina, Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, Jeevan Singh Sangowal, Kulwant Singh Sidhu, Hakam Singh Thekedar, Madan Lal Bagga, Daljit Singh Grewal, Ashok Parashar Pappi, Hardeep Singh Mundian, Jagtar Singh Dayalpura, Manvinder Singh Gayaspura, Educationist Dr KNS Kang, ACS to Chief Minister A. Venu Prasad, Principal Secretary School Education Alok Shekhar, DGSE Pradeep Agrawal, Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik and IG SPS Parmar.