Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains laid the foundation stone for the upgrading Shaheed E Azam Sukhdev Thapar School of Eminence, Bharat Nagar, at a cost of around Rs 17 crores.Accompanied by MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, Markfed Chairman Amandeep Singh Mohie, and Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal, Cabinet Minister Bains noted that the new works will include a state-of-the-art indoor sports facility, a multipurpose hall, new science laboratories, additional classrooms, roof tiling, new doors and windows, new electrical wiring, sewage system, covered parking area for students, a shelter for mid-day meals, the demolition of the old hall for the construction of seven new classrooms on the ground floor with bathrooms, basketball court, a new main entrance, a waiting area for parents, and more. These works will be completed in approximately next 11 months time, transforming the school into an best institution. The indoor sports complex will be named in honour of Guru Tegh Bahadur Singh Ji, he mentioned.
Bains emphasized that Schools of Eminence are being established across Punjab, ensuring that students in government schools have access to facilities comparable to be found in convent schools. He highlighted that Shaheed-E-Azam Sukhdev Thapar School of Eminence, located at Bharat Nagar Chowk in Ludhiana, is one of the most esteemed institutions, currently educating around 2000 students.
He said that this would be the second school of Eminence of Ludhiana city that would have all ultra modern facilities.The Minister also revealed that five new Schools of Eminence (SOEs) will be inaugurated for the people in the coming months by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Significant efforts are already underway to ensure high-quality infrastructure in government schools, including boundary walls, furniture, sports facilities, and more. He also discussed the Business Blaster initiative aimed at cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit among students, motivating them to transition from job seekers to job creators.
By involving students in practical business ventures, the program promotes essential skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Under this scheme, each selected student receives seed funding of Rs 2,000 to develop their business ideas.
Additionally, he also mentioned Mission Samarth, which aims to enhance foundational literacy and numeracy skills for children in grades 3 to 8. Prior to this, the Minister paid floral tributes to Shaheed E Azam Sukhdev Thapar at his statue installed in the school premises.