Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, today, Tuesday, March 5, announced that 100 government senior secondary schools will be transformed into 'schools of brilliance' and 'schools of happiness'.
Presenting the state budget for fiscal year 2024-25, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government announced an outlay of Rs 16,987 crore for the education sector, which is around 11.5 per cent of the total estimated expenditure in the next fiscal, reported PTI.
Detailing initiatives in the education sector, Cheema said 118 government schools will undergo a transformation to become state-of-the-art 'schools of eminence' and 14 such schools have already been started.
The government has budgeted Rs 100 crore for this purpose.
Schools of ‘brilliance, happiness, eminence’
Besides, 100 government senior secondary schools will be transformed as 'schools of brilliance', he said, adding that an initial allocation of Rs 10 crore has been earmarked for the purpose.
This scheme aims to elevate education quality and transform these rural schools into centres of learning from Classes VI to XII, Cheema said.
With the aim of creating a nurturing and learning environment for young students aged three to 11, the government also proposes to transform 100 primary government schools into 'schools of happiness'.
The focus would be on providing well-ventilated classrooms, dedicated play areas, resource rooms and activity corners, and for this scheme, Rs 10 crore has been provisioned, he added.
Further, with a view to developing skills, including technical skills in students, to enable them to earn a livelihood, 'school of applied learning' is proposed to be established with an initial provision of Rs 10 crore.
In the first phase, hi-tech vocational labs would be constructed in 40 schools, he said.
"Regularisation of 12,316 teachers, recruitment of 9,518 teachers, skill upgradation of principals and headmasters, improvement of security and safety measures in schools, installation of more than 12,000 internet connections, repair of around 4,300 toilets in the schools and timely delivery of books to the students among others have been our hallmarks," said Cheema.
Higher education sector
During his budget speech, Cheema said for the AAP government, the aim is not a "literate Punjab" but an "educated Punjab", added PTI.
Touching upon the medical education and research sector, Cheema said, "I propose a budgetary outlay of Rs 1,133 crore in Financial Year (FY) 2024-25 for undertaking the developmental activities under medical education and research, which includes a special provision for developing a girls' hostel at Government Ayurvedic College, Patiala".
He said the government understands the importance of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana and alleged that no concrete steps have been taken by the previous governments to strengthen and modernise PAU.
In recognition of the role played by the university, a provision of Rs 40 crore has been made for the development of research-related and other infrastructure in the university in FY 2024-25, Cheema said.
In addition to this, an initial allocation of Rs 40 crore has been proposed in FY 2024-25 for the construction of the hostel at Panjab University, Chandigarh, PTI reported.