ThePunjab Government has so far given facelift to 7842 government schools byconverting them Into smart schools through complete renovation of the schoolinfrastructure thereby enhancing the enrollment in government schools by morethan 14 per cent this year on one hand and imparting quality education tostudents on the other.
Accordingto a spokesperson of the school education department, under the leadership ofPunjab Education Minister Mr. Vijay Inder Singla, a smart school policy wasformulated in the year 2019 to transform the government schools in the state ofart smart schools. These smart schools are completely different from the othergovernment schools. These schools are now temples of technology based teachingand training which ensure the holistic development of the children. In theseschools students are being provided the facilities like smart classrooms,digital reading materials, solar energy, sports facilities, smart uniforms,educational parks including attractive environment, color coding, landscaping,etc thereby making them equipped to compete with their peers in the conventschools.
Accordingto the spokesperson, after the formulation of the smart school policy, theinfrastructure of the schools have been improved under the direct supervisionof Education Secretary Mr. Krishan Kumar. According to the spokesperson, mainaim of smart schools policy is to ensure community participation, to strengthenthe school education system through the participation of all stakeholdersincluding teachers and parents, to strengthen the school infrastructure andprovide digital education to students. To equip the schools with digital toolsfor education, to provide technology to improve the level of learning ofstudents, to create a conducive environment for the holistic development ofstudents, etc is also the main pillar of the policy.
Accordingto the spokesperson, under the smart school policy, smart classrooms, CCTVcameras, green board / white board, furniture for all students have beenprovided in addition to clean drinking water, separate toilets for girls andboys, staff rooms, rooms for principals / headmasters, well equipped sciencelabs, vocational laboratories, ICT laboratories etc. According to thespokesperson, provision of sports facilities (at least 2 games in each school),construction of well-managed playgrounds, swings / toys in pre-primary andprimary wing, educational parks, attractive and colorful furniture, soundsystem, school bands has been made in schools. making Beside the beautificationof school gates the facilities of dining halls for mid-day meal, color coding,learning aids, landscaping etc. have been provided.