DW BUREAU / Nangal

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said the state is on the threshold of a revolution in the education sector as about 27 lakh parents are attending mega parent-teacher meetings (PTM) in government schools.

Interacting with the media during his visit to the School of Eminence during the PTM organised here, the Chief Minister said it is a historic day as this PTM is taking place. "Around 27 lakh parents are enquiring about the studies, atmosphere, curriculum and other things being offered to their kids." Mann said it would also provide an opportunity for teachers to explain the performance of students in the schools.

The Chief Minister said this was a paradigm shift as such PTMs were a regular practice earlier in private schools but were missing in government schools. "This is one of the best practices of education being adopted here for the wellbeing of the students." The Chief Minister said the government has sent six batches of 202 principals and education officers for a five-day Leadership Development Programme to Singapore.

Likewise, he said a batch of 72 primary teachers embarked on a journey to Finland for professional training on Friday. Similarly, three batches of 152 headmasters and education officers were sent to IIM Ahmadabad to get state-of-the-art academic training, adding the motive is to ensure the students get a world-class education.

Mann claimed the government has regularised 12,316 employees working for more than 10 years in the School Education Department. Likewise, he said 10,361 teachers have been recruited since April 2022. Around Rs 82 crore have been allocated for safety and cleanliness in schools. The Chief Minister said 118 government schools are being transformed into state-of-art schools of eminence with a budget of Rs 29.3 crore for high-speed fibre Internet connections in all government schools in the state.

Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Uniforms have been distributed to all students of Schools and a budget of around Rs 35 crore has been released for providing free uniforms to students. He said that transport facility has been started for 118 schools of eminence and 17 girls' senior secondary schools by School Education Department Punjab.

He said that Punjabis are born leaders and these students possess inherent qualities to excel in every field. He said that these students are planes and the state government will provide them Launchpad to go ahead in life. Bhagwant Singh Mann unequivocally said that he won't rest until the students of Punjab don't achieve their desired goals.

Mann said that parents must have faith in the capacities and capabilities of their kids as they can excel in any field. He said that the students should not be forced to adopt a particular stream rather he should be encouraged to go by his choice. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that health, education, power, water and infrastructure are top five priorities of his government.

The Chief Minister said that due to strenuous efforts of the state government water level in state has started rising as optimum utilisation of canal water is being made. He said that the state government is focusing on cleanliness and preservation of water. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is heartening to learn that the recharge of water table in state has started and this process will continue in coming times.

The Chief Minister also said that the state government is opening eight hi-tech centres for imparting training to the students for competitive exams. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these centres will provide quality training to youth for clearing the UPSC exams and sit on coveted positions in state and country. He said that the target of the state government is to ensure that youth sit in high offices and serve the country.

He said that Punjab was a frontrunner and Punjab will always continue to be that as Punjabis have been blessed with indomitable spirit of hard work and resilience. He said that the state government is performing its duty meticulously and zealously to ensure that Punjab leads the country in every sphere. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he is not worried for the next elections but he is working for the welfare of the next generation, due to which several path breaking initiatives have been taken.

He said that the state government is making concerted efforts for promoting tourism in the kandi area of the state. He said that these areas have bounty of natural resources and these areas can be developed as an ideal tourist destinations for attracting the tourist from across the globe. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that there is a huge potential for developing these areas as a tourist destination for which all out efforts will be made.

The Chief Minister said that BBMB is a body constituted under the provisions of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966, which primarily deals with the successor States of Punjab and Haryana. He said that the state government is already in process for filling the vacant posts in BBMB and no stone is being left unturned for it. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that already all the posts in Chandigarh administration from state quota has been filled and now posts in BBMB will also be filled too.
(editor@dailyworld.in)