Latest news with #SikhyaKranti
Hindustan Times
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Edu makeover plan: Meritorious school in Ludhiana yet to make the cut
While the state government has been unveiling one school project after another under its Punjab Sikhya Kranti programme since April 7, the Senior Secondary Residential School for Meritorious Students in Ludhiana remains a forgotten chapter in Punjab's education story. Despite being a home to some of the brightest young minds, the school continues to suffer from neglect, particularly in its hostel and washroom infrastructure. The boys' hostel tells a tale of crumbling promises. With five blocks split between two buildings, one dating back to 1958 and the other constructed in 2014, only a single round of renovation has been carried out in over a decade. Many rooms have broken windowpanes and damaged mesh, leaving students exposed to discomfort and poor hygiene. Class 12 students said the condition is worsening with each passing day. 'The washrooms in both the old and new hostel buildings are in a terrible condition. Tiles are loose and shaky and a few rooms are just miserable,' said one of the students. Another student echoed the sentiment, expressing frustration over the state of basic facilities. The situation of washrooms in the girls' hostel is no different. 'Water leaks from the ceiling when someone uses the washroom on the floor above. It's unhygienic and disturbing,' said a girl student. The Sikhya Kranti programme, which aims to overhaul nearly 12,000 government schools through over 25,000 projects worth ₹2,000 crore, is set to conclude on May 31. Each completed project includes a plaque honouring the chief minister and the education minister, but this Meritorious School in Ludhiana stands as a glaring omission from the celebration. When asked, education minister Harjot Singh Bains said that a private group had promised ₹2 crore for the school's renovation. However, principal Satwant Kaur clarified, 'No such funds have been received so far. The hostels urgently need attention, and we've now approached the deputy commissioner, requesting ₹2 crore to carry out essential repairs and renovations.' District education officer (secondary) Dimple Madaan said, 'Under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, the funds were initially expected from a company, but there was a delay. I have now approached another company for support and we are hopeful that the funds will be received soon.' As Punjab celebrates its school makeovers, the Meritorious School in Ludhiana, built to support and shape the future of high-achieving students, waits patiently for its turn under the spotlight.
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab Sikhya Kranti: Govt clears first tranche of Rs 12.25 cr to reimburse schools for plaques, ribbon-cutting events
The Punjab Education Department has approved the first tranche of Rs 12.25 crore that the state government schools have been spending on ribbon cutting ceremonies, making arrangements to welcome ministers or MLAs or VIPs, and installing inauguration plaques since April 7 this year, under the AAP's school education glitz campaign 'Punjab Sikhya Kranti'. The 54-day long drive, from April 7 to May 31, was mired in controversies from Day 1 as the Punjab government ordered school teachers to get new plaques installed, and ribbon-cutting ceremonies attended by local MLAs or ministers for even minor projects — from repaired toilets and boundary walls to classrooms and laboratories. Multiple plaques or stones were installed in a school, prompting the opposition parties to dub 'Punjab Sikhya Kranti' as 'Udghatan and Stone Kranti'. The Indian Express was the first to report how the Punjab government planned to install plaques for at least 25,000 big or small works, with several schools even installing five to six for minor works, and the inauguration drive alone was estimated at nearly Rs 20 crore. The latest letter by School Education (Elementary) Director Harkirat Kaur, addressed to Punjab district education officers (DEOs), the first tranche of Rs 12.25 crore has been approved for Sikhya Kranti programmes held in schools since April 7. It says that Rs 6.20 crore of the total amount was being allotted to primary schools, and Rs 5.71 crore for middle/high and senior secondary schools, where the inaugurations were held. Notably, the amount spent by schools on ribbon-cutting ceremonies and welcoming politicians will be counted under the head of 'conferences, workshops, seminars, and tours', it read. According to the district-wise allocation, the maximum amounts — Rs 59.80 lakh for primary schools, and Rs 55.80 lakh for middle/high or senior secondary schools — have been allocated to Amritsar district, indicating that the maximum number of inaugurations took place there. In Ludhiana, Rs 30.20 lakh have been allocated for primary schools, and Rs 23.55 lakh for middle/high and secondary schools. In Jalandhar, Rs 40.15 lakh have been sanctioned for primary schools and Rs 41.20 lakh for higher schools. The initial order — ahead of the drive's commencement — had mentioned that schools will be given Rs 5,000 for each granite plaque and for inauguration ceremony arrangements such as sound system, chairs, tent, and snacks, among others, with each school paying category wise — Rs 5,000 (primary/middle schools), Rs 10,000 (high schools), and Rs 20,000 (senior secondary schools). With over 25,000 works, planned to be inaugurated in over 12,000 schools, the total budget of the drive was estimated at nearly Rs 20 crore. However, since the government did not release funds in advance, teachers had paid from their pockets to make arrangements and install the plaques. Each plaque had to carry the name of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. Punjab Education Secretary Anindita Mitra said: 'This is the first instalment. We shall be providing a budget for all inaugurations as per the amounts fixed in the letter initially. The remaining amount will also be issued in a few days.' The Punjab Sikhya Kranti drive was launched by the AAP government to inaugurate at least 25,000 big/small development works in over 12,000 Punjab government schools, with initial orders to install separate plaques for even minor repair works. However, as soon as the drive commenced on April 7 as well as the photos of plaques crediting Mann and Bains for repaired toilets or boundary walls went viral, inviting flak, another fresh order was issued that 'teachers should not get plaques installed for toilets'. The government had also faced backlash from the opposition parties including Congress, BJP, and SAD who dubbed it as 'Udghatan and Ribbon-Cutting Kranti'. From Barnala to Pathankot, the plaques installed for repaired toilets went viral. Then, a plaque was installed covering the national anthem painted on a wall in a school in Amritsar district. In Ludhiana, MLA Madan Lal Bagga inaugurated repaired toilets where curtains were installed to hide incomplete works, while in Bathinda district's Maur, villagers did not allow the local MLA to inaugurate a boundary wall, alleging it was 'constructed four years ago'. Justifying the installation of plaques, Bains had said: 'Why should we not put them? They are the symbols of failures of the previous governments. They are not just name plates or plaques, they are a reminder of the failure of Congress and Akali-BJP governments in Punjab.' Divya Goyal is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Punjab. Her interest lies in exploring both news and feature stories, with an effort to reflect human interest at the heart of each piece. She writes on gender issues, education, politics, Sikh diaspora, heritage, the Partition among other subjects. She has also extensively covered issues of minority communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan. She also explores the legacy of India's partition and distinct stories from both West and East Punjab. She is a gold medalist from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, the most revered government institute for media studies in India, from where she pursued English Journalism (Print). Her research work on 'Role of micro-blogging platform Twitter in content generation in newspapers' had won accolades at IIMC. She had started her career in print journalism with Hindustan Times before switching to The Indian Express in 2012. Her investigative report in 2019 on gender disparity while treating women drug addicts in Punjab won her the Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitivity in 2020. She won another Laadli for her ground report on the struggle of two girls who ride a boat to reach their school in the border village of Punjab. ... Read More
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bains inaugurates infra devp projects in Sri Anandpur Sahib govt schools
1 2 Patiala: With a focus on providing top-notch facilities to the students, the Punjab school education minister Harjot Singh Bains inaugurated infrastructure development projects worth over Rs 1.49 crore in govt schools of Sri Anandpur Sahib constituency under the Sikhya Kranti initiative. Addressing the gathering, Bains said the development projects worth crores are currently underway in govt schools and will be completed shortly. He added that supplementary grants amounting to crores will also be allocated to rural area schools, ensuring they are all equipped with modern facilities. He inaugurated development works worth Rs 17 lakh at PM Shri Government Senior Secondary School, Massewal, while the Government Primary School, Jeowal received Rs 40 lakh under the Holistic Development Plan. Government Primary School, Massewal underwent repairs costing Rs 7.51 lakh, among others. He highlighted that govt schools are now equipped with comprehensive facilities, including security guards, campus management systems, transportation services, Wi-Fi connectivity, state-of-the-art science labs, well-stocked libraries, modern furniture, dedicated staff rooms, spacious classrooms, administrative offices, accessibility ramps, and more. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The place-to-be for automation and robotics Undo Relevant topics from automation, AI and robotics Undo Valuable contacts with international exhibitors Undo Fresh input at the top-class supporting program Undo The leading trade fair for automation & robotics Undo These amenities, previously limited to private or model schools, are now accessible to students in govt institutions, bridging the gap between public and private education, he added. Bains reviewed ongoing projects in the school premises. He also highlighted a positive trend of increasing girl student enrolment, citing Massewal School's statistics of 321 girl students compared to 312 boy students, showcasing improved gender parity. Bains mentioned the establishment of a 'School of Happiness' in Lakher, providing quality education to children from the Changer region without lengthy commutes. Additionally, he noted that a 'School of Eminence' is being constructed in Kiratpur Sahib at a cost of Rs 12 crore. MSID:: 121343697 413 |
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: Got no funds for Sikhya Kranti events, rue teachers
Even as the government continues its 'Punjab Sikhya Kranti' campaign by launching a wave of infrastructural projects in government schools, teachers are still waiting to be reimbursed for expenses they personally bore to hold inauguration ceremonies. Since April 7, schools across the state have been hosting inauguration ceremonies for development works under the state's ambitious 54-day education initiative. The campaign aims to cover around 25,000 renovation and repair projects worth ₹2,000 crore across 12,000 government schools. These projects are to be inaugurated by May 31, with an estimated cost of ₹20 crore for the inauguration events alone. But behind the scenes, the burden of organising these ceremonies — including costs for tents, plaques, and other arrangements — has fallen on the shoulders of school staff. Teachers say they have not only devoted time and effort to these preparations but have also paid from their own pockets, expecting that the funds would soon be released by the government. Daljit Singh Samrala, district president of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), said, 'Teachers have not just spent days preparing for these inaugurations, but they've also used their own money. Even though the inaugurations began on April 7, the funds have still not been released. It's hard this way for schools to maintain financial records.' 'The money should ideally be released before any such event so that the staff doesn't have to take on this financial load,' said one teacher, who requested not to be named. Under the current plan, senior secondary schools were sanctioned ₹20,000, secondary schools ₹10,000 and primary schools just ₹5,000 for the inauguration events. This uneven allocation has sparked frustration among primary school heads, who argue that the scale of preparation has been similar across all schools. Jagjit Singh Mann, district president of the Government Teachers' Union (GTU), called the fund allocation 'discriminatory.' He added, 'The extra expenses will ultimately be paid by the teachers themselves.' Davinder Singh Guru, general secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union, highlighted another issue. 'Not all vendors give GST bills. So, when we're asked to submit official invoices to the department, it becomes a challenge. If the money is provided in advance, these problems won't arise.' District education officer (elementary) Ravinder Kaur responded to the concerns, saying, 'We have been asked to submit the total budget, which we have done. The money will be released soon.' ₹57L projects inaugurated in 6 schools Punjab housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Saturday inaugurated infrastructure projects worth ₹57.63 lakh in six government primary schools under the Sahnewal constituency. These schools — located in Mangarh, Katani Kalan, Barwala, Bhaini Sahib, Raian and Katani Khurd — are part of the ongoing 'Sikhya Kranti' mission. Speaking at the event, Mundian noted that around 28 lakh students study in Punjab's 20,000 government schools, many of which lacked proper facilities. He highlighted that ₹2,000 crore is being spent under this initiative to upgrade schools with smart classrooms, modern labs, libraries, furniture, clean drinking water, boundary walls and better buildings.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
6 more schools in Sahnewal constituency get Rs 58L for infra devpt
Sahnewal (Ludhiana): Housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian dedicated infrastructure development projects worth Rs 57.63 lakh to six more govt primary schools in Sahnewal constituency Saturday. These include govt primary schools in Mangarh, Katani Kalan, Barwala, Bhaini Sahib, Raian and Katani Khurd. The initiative is part of Punjab's Sikhya Kranti to bring about a revolution in school education across the state. Constructing modern schools with smart classrooms, refurbishing the furniture, setting up state-of-the-art laboratories, well-equipped libraries, securing boundary walls, and ensuring the availability of clean drinking water are all part of the infrastructure upgrade. During the inauguration ceremony in each school, Mundian said the govt is spending Rs 2,000 crore on the transformation of schools under Sikhya Kranti, fulfilling its promise to overhaul Punjab's education and health sectors. Villagers said the new smart classrooms and boundary walls will make the schools a better place for learning. They thanked the Punjab govt for making children's education its top priority.
