Punjab minister's surprise visit reveals degrading Hoshiyarpur school

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, during a surprise visit to a Hoshiyarpur school, found its condition degrading and ordered an immediate revamp. He also spoke on expanding the Hunar Shiksha Schools initiative for student job readiness.

Surprise Visit to Hoshiarpur School

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday paid a surprise visit to the Senior Secondary School in Hoshiyarpur and immediately directed the concerned officers to take necessary action, after witnessing the degrading condition of the school.

During the visit, the state Education Minister walked through the corridors to the classrooms of the school. Later, he inspected the playground area of the school, which allows He also interact with the students and the teaching staff of the school.

In a post on X, he wrote, "Conducted a surprise visit to Senior Secondary School, Hoshiarpur (New Chandigarh, Mohali). The school requires a major revamp, and I have directed the concerned officers to take immediate necessary action to upgrade the infrastructure."

Hunar Shiksha Schools Initiative to be Expanded

Earlier, on December 19 last year, Bains said that the Hunar Shiksha Schools initiative, currently being run as a pilot project in 40 schools across the state, will be expanded further.

Bains said that the Hunar Shiksha Schools initiative is a new effort in the education sector, aimed at equipping students with practical skills alongside academic education to make them job-ready, said an official statement.

A total of 40 schools have been established as Hunar Shiksha Schools, where students are trained from Class 9 onwards so that they are prepared for employment opportunities immediately after completing Class 12.

The objective of the initiative is to ensure that students are not solely dependent on higher education for jobs and are capable of entering the workforce directly after schooling.

Courses and Certifications

According to the Punjab government, experts have designed four skill-based courses under the programme. Among these is a healthcare course, which is being offered in collaboration with institutions such as Apollo.

Under the Hunar Shiksha Schools initiative, students will receive both board-recognised certificates and industry-recognised certifications, which will enable them to secure employment across multiple sectors.

In addition to healthcare, courses such as fashion design, painting, accounting, computer education, and digital design are also being offered to encourage self-employment and entrepreneurship among students.

The Education Minister emphasised that true self-confidence is not derived from certificates alone, but from belief in one's own abilities and skills. (ANI)

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