To make stronger the foundation of school education, Punjab Government schools would introduce pre-primary classes from the next academic session, that is 2018-19.
The State Cabinet on Wednesday gave its go ahead to start enrolment in pre-primary classes for the next academic session in all Government schools across Punjab this month.
The proposal was announced earlier by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh in a bid to strengthen the school system in the State.
Following the Cabinet approval, Government schools will start enrolling children over the age of three years in the pre-primary classes, which will become operational in the forthcoming academic session. Under the existing rules, Government schools could admit children only over the age of six. The move will help ensure holistic and integrated early childhood care and education, and also check the decline in enrolment of children in Government schools.
Capt Amarinder, speaking at the Cabinet meeting, also suggested improvement in the Government school curriculum, with historical events and heroes to be incorporated to help connect the children to their roots.
local Bodies and Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu suggested inclusion of cultural topics in the course curriculum.
Though Punjab’s child population in the age group of six to 10 years currently stands at 24.47 lakhs, enrolment in Government schools is a mere 9.6 lakhs, with the number declining every year.
The decline is attributed to the fact that parents tend to send their wards at an early age, that is less than six years to schools whereas as per the Right to Education (RTE) Act and as per Government Policy, children below the age of six years are not admitted in Government schools.
The child population in the age group of four-six years is estimated at 5.33 lakhs. At the same time, by not admitting the children in the age group of four-six years, the learning levels of the students becomes stagnant and such children lag behind as compared to their counterparts studying in the private schools.