As a core strategy to impart quality education to students, the Punjab government is focusing on teacher training through comprehensive training programmes, technology integration, and competency-based education modules. The Mann government has partnered with IIT Madras-Pravartak to launch a free, online training program for over 5,000 teachers as career mentors for students.
Highlighting the government's focus on quality teacher training, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, "234 principals and education officers have received world-class training in Singapore, 152 head teachers have received advanced coaching at IIM Ahmedabad, and 144 primary teachers have undergone special training at Turku University in Finland."
The CM said that to enable teachers to focus on their primary duties, 1920 campus managers have been appointed, adding that to help the children of Punjab soar high and fulfill their dreams, an "Education Revolution" was launched in 2022.
Acknowledging the teacher's role in shaping society, CM said, "By honouring our teachers, we have acknowledged their role as nation builders. In earlier times, the word Guru was used for a teacher, as it comes from two Sanskrit words "Gu" (darkness) and "Ru" (remover). Guru means the one who removes darkness adding that in other words, the duty of a teacher is to illuminate the minds of their students with the light of knowledge."
As a part of the Punjab government's "Education Revolution", the chief minister said that 118 Schools of Eminence have been established in the state, on which we have spent Rs 231.74 crore so far. The students in Schools of Eminence are being provided free uniforms, bus services have been arranged for girls, and they are offered free coaching for competitive exams—Armed Forces, NEET, JEE, CLAT, and NIFT. As per the CM, 265 students studying in Schools of Eminence and other government schools qualified for JEE Mains, 44 cleared JEE Advanced, and 848 students qualified for NEET.
The CM envisioned that these schools will serve as "temples of the modern era", illuminating the lives of thousands of students. Now students from private schools are seeking admission into these Schools of Eminence, reflecting the success of this model, the CM said.
The Chief Minister said that the concept of Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs) has also been introduced and has received overwhelming support from parents. He said that Punjab currently has 19,200 government schools, and nearly 25 lakh parents have participated in PTMs.
