Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today exhorted the teachers of the state to work with utmost dedication, sincerity and commitment for imparting quality education to the students.Presiding over a function ‘Malti Gyan Peeth Puraskar 2015’ here at FICCI Auditorium this evening, the Chief Minister, while felicitating the teachers conferred with the award, asked them to act as role model for students and other teachers. He said that teachers were the real architects of the country, who have the sacred responsibility of educating children and make them ideal citizens. Mr. Badal said that teachers not only develop overall personality of the students but also inculcate a spirit of self confidence, discipline and leadership amongst them.Listing the path breaking initiatives taken by the state government for developing the education sector in the state, the Chief Minister said that the state government has accorded top priority to the education sector so that students could be imparted quality education in Punjab. Mr. Badal said that due to the concerted efforts of the state government, Punjab was today leading the country in field of education. He said that in order help the poor students Dr. Hargobind Khurana Scholarship Scheme has been launched for Meritorious Students.
Likewise the Chief Minister said that six Residential Schools established at Mohali, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala to provide quality education to meritorious students scoring 80% in Government Schools. Mr. Badal said that it was a matter of great pride and satisfaction for them that the NDA government has recently decided to set up an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture in Punjab which would give much needed boost to the education in the state. He said that in another major initiative pension Scheme has been introduced for Aided School Teachers with an initial grant of Rs. 342 Crore.
The Chief Minister further said that sharpened focus was being laid for the employment generation of youth by imparting skill training to them. He said that the state government has established prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute, Mohali, to impart training to the youth aspiring to join NDA, which yielded encouraging results thereby restoring Punjab’s pristine glory in Armed services. Likewise, state-of-the-art Mai Bhago Army services Preparatory Academy for Girls was being established at Mohali to provide training to the girls for recruitment in Armed forces. Likewise strenuous efforts are afoot to impart skill training to the youth by setting up a Punjab Skill Development Mission in the state.
Appreciating Mohinder Singh Syngle Education and Research Society under the able leadership of its President Mr. Manoj Syngle for honoring 15 teachers of the state with ‘Malti Gyan Peeth Puraskar 2015’, the Chief Minister said that concerted efforts on the part of Society in imparting quality education to our youth especially from the rural areas were really laudable. He said that it was a matter of great pride for them that ever since its inception the society has been pro-actively involved in creating excellent educational infrastructure in under developed areas, thereby providing an access to quality education to the youth. Mr. Badal hoped that this unique initiative of society would go a long way in shaping the destiny of poor students from rural background to acquire quality education so as to enable them to become ideal citizens of the society, which was the need of the hour.On the occasion the Chief Minister along with former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Union Minister Mrs. Maneka Gandhi, Punjab Education Minister Dr. DS Cheema, former MP Mr. Tarlochan Singh and INLD Leader Mr. Abhay Chautala gave the award to 15 teachers of the state.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema, his Principal Secretary Mr. SK Sandhu and Resident Commissioner Punjab Bhawan Mr. K Sivaprasad.