Punjab has taken a major step towards modernising school education by introducing Artificial Intelligence as a compulsory subject in government schools across the state and the new AI curriculum will officially come into effect and will be taught to students from Class 1 to Class 12.
The announcement was made by Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains during the launch of the AI-based curriculum and according to the minister, the initiative aims to prepare students for a future where technology and artificial intelligence will play an important role in education, jobs, and daily life.
The Punjab Government said it has spent more than ₹2,500 crore to prepare the education system for this initiative and this investment has been made to improve school infrastructure, develop learning material, and prepare teachers for AI education.
The Education Minister said new AI textbooks will be distributed to students within the next 15 days, and he also said the AI syllabus will not remain the same for years, instead, it will be updated every six months so that students continue learning the latest developments in artificial intelligence and technology.
To support the new curriculum, the School Education Department has introduced regular teacher training programmes. Teachers will also attend live online classes to stay updated with new AI concepts and teaching methods and the government believes that trained teachers will help students better understand the subject and make learning more effective.
Speaking during the launch event, the Education Minister said many developed countries have already started giving importance to AI education in schools, he referred to countries such as China and South Korea, where technology education has become an important part of school learning. According to him, Punjab wants students studying in government schools to receive the same opportunities and develop skills that are useful in the modern world.
The minister also said Punjab is working to prepare students for future careers by introducing technology at an early stage and the initiative is aimed at helping children become familiar with artificial intelligence from their primary school years instead of waiting until higher education.
The Punjab Government believes that AI education will help students develop practical knowledge and improve their understanding of modern technology and the curriculum has been designed to introduce AI concepts in a way that is suitable for students of different age groups, from primary classes to senior secondary classes.
With the introduction of AI as a compulsory subject, Punjab has become one of the few states in the country to bring structured AI education into government schools from Class 1 to Class 12 and the government says the initiative is intended to equip students with skills needed for the changing digital economy and future employment opportunities.
