Education and health are the areas of primary focus of the state government. Multifarious initiatives are being taken to raise the level of education in the state, as a result of which 14% increase in enrolment has been seen in the Government schools state-wide while Mohali is proud to witness 35% increase in enrolment in the on-going academic session, said Balbir Singh Sidhu Cabinet Minister Punjab while presiding over a function held at District Administrative Complex for tablet distribution to government primary school children.The event was virtually launched by Chief Minister Punjab at State level while Cabinet Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu presided over the distribution function held at district headquarter, Mohali . Today, 101 tablets were provided to 14 primary schools with an average of 7 to 8 tablets per school, to begin with. These schools include Government Primary School Gigemajra, Abhipur, Saidpur, Jauakhurd, Majat, Lukhnor, Kurli, Sekhan Majra , Sukhgarh, Dandrala, Pagindi ,Milkh, Raipur and Durali.The Minister also informed that 3 schools of the district have been selected as Smart Schools by the State Education Department fulfil 20 different parameters laid down to qualify as smart school . Fully functional labs, projectors, e-content, uniform, colour coding etc. being some of the qualifying parameters. The three smart schools of the district are from village Mauli Baidwan, Samgauli and Behlolpur.
Mission Shat Pratishat (Mission 100%) for the year 2020-21 aiming to empower schools to achieve 100% results despite the Covid crisis, was also launched on the occasion. In view of the Covid situation, Mission Shat Pratishat is aimed at further strengthening the digital education infrastructure in schools through E-Books, EDUSAT Lectures, E-Content and Online classes through Zoom App, Radio Channel, Broadcast of lectures through TV, Khan Academy Lectures and Video Lectures prepared by the teachers. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that Punjab is the first state in the country to provide pre- primary education in Government schools. Punjab government is providing smartphones to the senior students while juniors are being acquainted with digital world through to the tablets. Infrastructure upgradation, teachers’ recruitment and rationalization have worked wonders in the state and day by day enrolment in government schools is increasing. Citing the example of SAS Nagar the Minister informed that Government Senior Secondary School under construction at Gobindgarh has a budget outlay of Rs1.91 crores. “This school will outmatch the infrastructure of private schools and will be a model school in the district,” said Sidhu. He assured the students and the teachers present on the occasion that there will be no death of funds for infrastructure development of the schools in the district so much so that if need be he would shell out money from his discretionary funds and meet the requirements of school infrastructure.Among others present on the occasion include Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan, SSP Satinder Singh, ADC Ashika Jain, District Education Officer (Elementary) Gurpreet Kaur , Deputy Education Officer Surjit Kaur and Political Advisor to the Minister -cum- Chairman Market Committee Kharar, Harkesh Chand Sharma and teachers and students from various government schools.