Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said Punjab’s rise above Kerala in national education rankings showed that state’s Sikhya Kranti initiative in government schools was yielding tangible results.
“The growing dominance of girls among board toppers and the success of 359 government school students in the JEE (Main) pointed to it,” he said at the “Sitaare Zameen Te” programme in Chandigarh where toppers of Classes VIII, X and XII were honoured.
The Sikhya Kranti is the state government’s flagship initiative aimed at transforming the school education.
According to the NITI Aayog Education Quality Report released earlier in the month, Punjab has surpassed Kerala in school education.
The CM said he had instructed the Education Department that students securing equal marks should be awarded joint position instead of deciding ranks on the basis of date of birth.
“My message to the students is simple: no matter how successful you become in life, always remain grounded. Always respect your teachers and parents, because even a winner has to bow down to receive a medal,” the CM said.
Mann said his government had been sending teachers abroad for training, where they learnt modern teaching practices.
“After returning, they share this knowledge with students and fellow teachers, ensuring that global standards of education reach classrooms across Punjab,” the CM said.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said when he assumed office, nearly four lakh children in Punjab were studying sitting on the floor.
“Today, due to concerted efforts of the Punjab Government, not a single child sits on the floor to study. Punjab is now securing top positions in almost every national report related to the education sector,” he said.
