Minister Vijay Inder Singla honours 80, says govt school enrolment up in Punjab

Patiala, September 5

School Education and Public Works Minister Vijay Inder Singla today conferred state awards on 80 teachers and education officials for augmenting infrastructure and bringing in qualitative improvement in education at a state-level function at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology here to mark Teacher’s Day.

The minister said Punjab had emerged as a leading state in the field of education, getting the top rank in the Performance Grading Index released by the Centre a few months ago.

“The innovative initiatives taken by Punjab by sprucing up infrastructure, bringing qualitative improvement in education, starting pre-primary education, besides ensuring transparency in recruitment and transfers are being emulated by other states,” said the minister.

“People have reciprocated positively by enrolling their children in government schools. Around 7 lakh students have left private schools and got enrolled in government schools,” he said. While Singla conferred state awards on 23 teachers from Patiala, Sangrur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib districts, others were honoured virtually at district headquarters.

Of these, 36 upper primary teachers and 22 primary teachers were given state awards; six upper primary and five primary teachers received young teacher awards and 11 education officers were given administrative state awards.

Singla lauded the teachers for their role during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Government teachers have shown unparalleled dedication by performing unique services in the field of education,” he said. — TNS