Nawanshahr, April 7:Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday launched a Rs 2,000 crore initiative titled Sikhiya Kranti, aimed at overhauling the state’s education system and fostering academic excellence among students. The announcement came during the inauguration of a new block at the School of Eminence in Nawanshahr.
“This is not just an investment in schools but in Punjab’s future,” Mann said, noting that the initiative marks a decisive shift from compulsion to choice when it comes to government education. “Earlier, sending children to government schools was a helpless decision for parents. Today, they are enrolling by choice.”
The Chief Minister said Schools of Eminence have been established across the state, and government teachers are being sent to premier national and international institutes for advanced training. “With their focus solely on academics—thanks to support staff hired for non-teaching duties—teachers are now better equipped to prepare students for competitive exams,” he noted.
Mann also launched a School Mentorship Program, under which IAS and IPS officers will voluntarily mentor students in rural schools for five years. “These officers will not act as bosses but as mentors. They will hold conversations with students, assist in teacher training, and prepare students for competitive exams,” he said.
Reiterating his government’s focus on youth development, Mann said, “We’ve provided over 54,000 jobs to Punjab’s youth purely on merit. This empowers them to contribute meaningfully to the state’s socio-economic growth.”
He noted that Rs 18,047 crore—11% of the state’s total budget—has been allocated to education this year. “This funding will help build a modern, progressive Punjab,” Mann said, adding that the government is also conducting regular parent-teacher meetings in government schools. “Lakhs of parents now actively inquire about their children’s academics and school environment.”
Commenting on past administrations, Mann said, “The children of political leaders studied in hill convents, so they never bothered about government schools. They turned them into mid-day meal centres rather than places of learning.”
He also addressed the state’s fight against drugs through the Yudh Nasheyan Virudh campaign. “We’ve arrested major smugglers, snapped supply lines, and for the first time, started confiscating properties acquired through the drug trade,” he said. “We won’t allow the drug trade to thrive on the pyres of our youth.”
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, present at the event, praised Mann’s leadership. “Punjab’s transformation is real. In just three years, over 12,000 government schools have changed. Today, 29 lakh students are getting access to quality infrastructure and experienced teachers,” he said.
He also backed Punjab’s two-pronged strategy to tackle drug abuse—law enforcement and education. “This is the right path. Punjab can become drug-free if it continues this way,” Sisodia said.
Taking a dig at Delhi’s current administration, he said, “Private school fees have doubled, making education unaffordable for poor families. In contrast, Punjab has emerged as a savior for the underprivileged.”
Parents at the event also shared their views with Mann and Sisodia. Paramjit Kumar from Begumpura said, “Today, our children are getting private-school-level facilities and exposure trips that broaden their thinking.”
Bhupinder Kaur from Plan Road added, “My daughters are in this school. They’re learning skills that will help them succeed in life. The credit goes to the CM and his team.”
Parveen Bala of Durgapur said her son moved from a private school to a School of Eminence. “Now he receives the same level of education he got in a convent, with even better facilities.”
Lok Sabha MP Malwinder Singh Kang, MLAs Dr. Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi and Nachattar Pal, and Education Secretary Anindita Mitra were also present at the event.
