Education
Punjab govt to provide free textbooks for govt school students
The Punjab government will provide free textbooks to all students, and introduce pre- primary classes, nursery and LKG, in government schools from the next academic session as a part of school reforms. It will also provide free Internet service in 13,000 primary schools and all the 48 government…
The Punjab government will provide free textbooks to all students, and introduce pre- primary classes, nursery and LKG, in government schools from the next academic session as a part of school reforms.
It will also provide free Internet service in 13,000 primary schools and all the 48 government colleges.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh while speaking in the assembly said his government would accord the highest priority to school education and, notwithstanding the constraint of resources, seek to increase budgetary support to the education sector.
Five new colleges will be set up in the current financial year, he said.
As part of the government initiatives to improve education in the state, textbooks would be posted online, thus enabling students/parents to download the same free of cost, the chief minister said.
A comprehensive digital education programme will be launched to improve access to quality school education.
Smart classes, computer hardware, free Internet for 13,000 primary schools and digitalisation of school records is already in progress, he informed the House.
Amarinder said special funds would be earmarked for providing proper infrastructure in terms of electricity, furniture, toilets and playgrounds in all government schools in the state.
English as the medium of instruction will be offered as an option in government schools.
In a unique initiative, the government also proposes to launch a programme–'Padho Punjab. Padhao Punjab'–whereby young NRI graduates and people from across India and the world will be invited to dedicate upto one year by way of volunteer work to assist in teaching in the schools.
Skill development and industrial training in the state will be revamped in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, and the department also proposes to set up a skills' university at Chamkaur Sahib (Ropar), which will award certificates, diplomas, graduate degrees, post-graduate degrees and PhDs, the chief minister said.
The government is also in the process of setting up a Regional Vocational Training Institute for Girls at Rajpura and Regional Directorate of Apprenticeship Training at Mohali at a cost of Rs 35 crore, he added.
Image used for representational purpose only, courtesy – Business Standard