The government schools in Punjab have launched another initiativeto enhance enrollment. Brimming with confidence over the achievements,including, sprucing up infrastructural facilities, qualitative improvement ineducation, excellent results in Board Examinations, performance of governmentschool students in various competitive examinations, cultural, sports and otherco-curricular activities, the school heads are preparing attractive, colourfuland eye catching "e-prospectus", highlighting the distinctivefeatures and achievements of the government schools to mobilise the masses toget their wards admitted in government schools.
The Department has constituted "Enrollment BoosterTeams” right from the state to block level in the state to sensitise peopleabout the massive improvement in infrastructure and quality in teaching-learning in government schools.
"The e-prospectus is an innovative idea to showcasethe revolutionary changes during the past four years in general as well asdistinctive features and achievements of the government schools in particular",said Satinderbir Singh, District Education Officer-cum-State Coordinator, EnrollmentBooster Team.
He added that the Smart look of the school Campusesadorned with educative BALA (Building As Learning Aid) work, Smart Class rooms,equipped with LED Projectors to ensure optimum utilisation of e-content as wellas latest digital applications, innovative teaching modules, techniques andactivities, colourful furniture SmartPlaygrounds, Well qualified staff, Well equipped Computer, Science, Languagelabs, Libraries, neat, clean and hygienic toilets are catching the attention ofthe people.
Besides, the concerted, consistent and dedicated efforts beingput in by the school staff to provide quality education , taking extra classesand keeping in touch with the students, parents and different sections of thesociety through social media even during the turbulent period of pandemicCOVID-19 has succeeded in bringing in positive change in public perception.Consequently, the government schools witnessed about 15 per cent increase inenrollment during the academic session 2020-21.
Deepika Dean, Principal, Govt. High school, Abdal, saidthat the school had prepared e prospectus and flexes to make the people awareabout distinctive features of theschool, including, optimum utilisation of digital applications, e-content insmart classrooms, Smart Computer and science Labs, "A" grade sportsfacility in games of Hockey and Volleyball available in the school. With themobilisation of the village panchayat and community, the school has succeededin getting donations in the shape of land and a community hall for extension ofinfrastructure facilities, she added.
"The government schools are aiming to mobilisepeople to ensure further increase in enrollment. The e-prospectus is beingcirculated among the target sections of the society by making use of the vastsocial media network being created by the education department. The schoolshave their own Facebook pages and Whats App groups of students, parents,sarpanches, anganwadi workers, SMCs and other sections of the society”, shesaid.
“The e-prospectus is providing an opportunity to theparents to know about the government schools in their vicinity without spendinga single penny. It would help in mobilising them to get their wards admitted ingovernment schools to avail the benefits of infrastructural as well as qualityeducation facilities and various student welfare schemes in governmentschools", said Parmod Bharti, Media Coordinator, State Enrollment BoosterTeam.
He added that "Enrollment Booster Teams” at thedistrict and block levels had also been mobilising school heads and teachers tocome forward for massive public awareness activities including door to doorenrollment campaigns, Nukkad Nataks, distribution of pamphlets, Affixingflexes, hoardings at public places, announcement via public address systems ofreligious places in their respective areas to mobilise community to avail thebenefit of the better infrastructure and quality education facilities ingovernment schools.