PUNJAB NEWS : In a groundbreaking step to transform the education landscape of Punjab, the state government is all set to launch ‘Sikhya Kranti’—a 54-day educational campaign starting April 7, to celebrate the inauguration of infrastructure projects worth ₹2,000 crore in 12,000 government schools.
Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced the initiative during a press briefing at Punjab Bhawan, stressing the government’s resolve to build a fair and future-ready learning ecosystem for students. He said the massive upgrade includes the construction and refurbishment of school buildings and the introduction of modern educational amenities.
Calling it a reflection of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s vision for quality education, the Minister stated that government schools are now equipped with essential facilities like purified drinking water, high-speed Wi-Fi, separate toilets for boys and girls, desks, chairs, and boundary walls as per CM Mann’s directives.
Punjab has also become the first state to deploy campus managers and security guards in schools and introduce student bus services—benefitting over 10,000 students. Additionally, the state spends more than ₹200 crore annually on school maintenance.
On the opening day of Sikhya Kranti, infrastructure projects will be inaugurated in over 350 schools by Cabinet Ministers and dignitaries. The Chief Minister, along with State Incharge Manish Sisodia, will inaugurate a School of Eminence in SBS Nagar.
Encouraging public participation, Bains invited citizens to visit nearby schools and become part of this celebration of education.
Providing further details, he said 6,812 schools now have new or repaired boundary walls totaling nearly 1,000 km. Over 5,399 new classrooms have been constructed, and 2,976 new toilets built in 2,934 schools, with an additional 7,166 toilets refurbished across 4,889 schools. A total of 1,16,901 dual desks, tables, and chairs have been provided, while 359 school playgrounds have been developed. Furthermore, 2,261 smart classrooms have been equipped with interactive panels across 1,886 schools.
The Minister shared that in the first phase, 118 existing Government Senior Secondary Schools are being upgraded into Schools of Eminence—14 of which have already been opened to the public. These institutions, designed to offer world-class learning, will serve students from classes 9 to 12 across all streams. They will also provide free uniforms and both online and offline coaching for various competitive exams like NEET, JEE, CLAT, NIFT, and Armed Forces exams.