In a major push to enhance academic excellence and competitiveness in Punjab’s Government schools, the state School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday honoured 161 schools with the prestigious “Best School Award”, distributing Rs 11 crore in cash prizes.
Bains, speaking at the award ceremony, said that 92 schools from 2023-24 and 69 from 2024-25 were recognized based on strict merit-based criteria, including student performance, attendance, community participation, and infrastructure upkeep.
The cash prizes of Rs 2.5 lakh each were distributed among primary Schools; Rs five lakhs to middle schools; Rs 7.5 lakhs to high schools; and Rs 10 lakhs to the Senior Secondary Schools.
Congratulating the awardees, Bains emphasized that these schools would serve as role models for others. He urged school heads to act as catalysts for educational reform, aligning with the Punjab Government’s vision for transforming public education.
Bains also announced the launch of State-Level Best School Awards in the next academic session. Additionally, he stressed the government's commitment to teacher training, citing initiatives like sending teachers to Finland’s University of Turku for advanced pedagogical training.
He further encouraged award-winning school heads to boost student enrollment in government schools, promoting the reforms introduced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
On the eve of International Women’s Day, Bains and School Education secretary Anindita Mitra also recognized the contributions of women educators in Punjab’s schools. Mitra echoed Nelson Mandela’s words, calling education the “most powerful weapon to change the world”, urging the teachers to lead the way in building a progressive society.
