Sangrur (Punjab), July 6: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday pledged to propel Punjab to the top in every field, hailing the state’s dramatic rise to the number one position in the National Achievement Survey (NAS) as evidence of his government’s “education revolution.”
Speaking at a function in Sangrur to celebrate Punjab’s NAS success, Mann said, “Punjab was at the 17th rank in 2017, and today it is number one. Teachers are the nation-builders who have made this possible.”
Mann stressed that his government’s focus on education, health, and power had shifted political discourse in Punjab. “Earlier, no political party gave priority to these core sectors vital for the common man,” he said, criticising previous governments for neglecting government schools while educating their own children in private or hill-convent schools. “Government schools were reduced to mid-day meal centres,” he remarked.
Highlighting reforms, Mann said his government had introduced Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs) in government schools, a practice previously limited to private institutions, fostering better communication for student welfare.
He underlined efforts to transform school infrastructure and ensure teachers are focused solely on teaching duties, not administrative tasks. “The education sector is undergoing significant transformation and will yield excellent results for government schools, making Punjab a role model across the country,” he said.
Mann also noted the government’s broader progress, announcing over 54,000 jobs provided to youth purely on merit, without corruption or nepotism. “Our youth are now active participants in Punjab’s socio-economic development,” he said, adding that every decision his government makes is aimed at people’s welfare and the state’s progress.
Addressing the gathering, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia praised Punjab’s leap in the NAS rankings, crediting teachers, principals, and staff for working in harmony with the government’s policies. He said quality education had previously been a distant dream for government schools due to an entrenched “education mafia” favouring private institutions. “Today, the future of 24 lakh government school students in Punjab is in safe hands,” Sisodia declared.
Other ministers present at the event included Harpal Cheema, Aman Arora, Harjot Singh Bains, and Barinder Goyal, who lauded Punjab’s strides in education and governance.
