Punjab to expand Hunar Shiksha Schools initiative beyond 40 schools

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the Hunar Shiksha Schools initiative, a pilot in 40 schools providing job skills, will be expanded. It aims to make students job-ready after Class 12 with industry-recognised certifications.

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday said that the Hunar Shiksha Schools initiative, currently being run as a pilot project in 40 schools across the state, will be expanded further in the coming period.

Hunar Shiksha Schools to be expanded

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.

Skill-based 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.

AAP highlights electoral success and state development

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, on Thursday, in a joint press conference with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, highlighted the achievements and growth of the state under the AAP government.

Block Samiti and Zilla Parishad election results

"The results of Block Samiti and Zilla Parishad elections indicate that Aam Aadmi Party has swept the elections with around 70% seats. This is a huge thing..." Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal stated that the district council and block committee elections were held ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab, and the results reflect public satisfaction with the work of the Aam Aadmi Party.

He further stressed that the elections were conducted in a completely fair manner. The AAP convener underlined that at least 580 seats had a victory margin of only 100 votes, while the opposition won 319 seats, demonstrating that there was no rigging in the elections.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann added, "Wherever our candidates have lost by a small margin in Punjab, they will introspect, analyse their mistakes, reach out to people, and connect with them..."

Kejriwal also noted that Punjab has witnessed major developments in several sectors, including road infrastructure and employment generation. He highlighted the construction of 19,000 rural roads and stated that 58,000 youngsters received government jobs without any recommendations or bribes. (ANI)

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