In a bid to establish Haryana as a global education hub, the state government, led by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, is set to implement radical reforms in the education sector.
The Chief Minister has directed officers to ensure that quality education is provided across all schools by maintaining the student-teacher ratio as per the National Education Policy.
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A comprehensive action plan is currently being developed to address the teacher shortage in schools. As a result, from the upcoming academic session, no school in the state will face a shortage of teachers.
The Chief Minister presided over a meeting with officers of the Elementary Education, School Education, and Higher Education Departments late Friday evening. Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda also attended the meeting.
The CM directed that a comprehensive plan should be prepared by rationalizing the arrangement of teachers in schools so that if there is a shortage of teachers in any school, it can be met.
He emphasized that there is no actual shortage of teachers in Haryana, but rather, the allocation of teachers should be adjusted according to the number of students. He further stressed that all necessary arrangements should be completed before the start of the new academic session.
He emphasized the need to build public confidence in government schools to encourage more children to enroll and receive education there. He reiterated the government’s commitment to providing quality education to every child.
In line with the National Education Policy, he said that Bhagavad Gita should be included in the curriculum up to class eighth to instill moral values in students. To ensure holistic development, he also stressed the importance of making sports and cleanliness compulsory in schools.
Saini stated that the Haryana Government has established Model Sanskriti Schools at the block level, which are affiliated with the CBSE Board. These schools offer education in Mathematics and Science, along with English medium.
The Chief Minister asked Chief Secretary Dr Vivek Joshi to authorize XEN-level officers from other departments to handle the tendering related processes for the engineering wing of the Education Department. He also stressed that strict action should be taken against contractors who fail to complete their work within the stipulated time.
The Chief Minister further emphasized that the goal of the present state government is to make Haryana a global center for education. In the age of AI, significant changes must be made to modernize education. He urged all officers and employees to take their responsibilities seriously and be well-prepared with all relevant information when attending meetings.
He stated that the present state government is committed to setting up reading rooms in cities to provide quality reading material to students. As part of this initiative, a large reading room should be established in Panchkula on a priority basis, ensuring that students from Panchkula do not need to travel to Chandigarh.
He also mentioned that, given the government’s effort to establish a college every 20 kilometers, a reading room should be set up in each college. These reading rooms will remain open even after college hours, allowing students to visit and study.
In the meeting, Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda directed officers to ensure that both short-term and long-term goals for the full implementation of the National Education Policy are completed within the stipulated time period. He emphasized that special attention should be given to the distribution of reading materials in schools.
According to the new policy, he also highlighted the importance of making special efforts to teach foreign languages in schools. This will enable students to become proficient in foreign languages alongside their mother tongue, enhancing their chances of securing employment opportunities at the global level.
The Education Minister directed that teachers who have been posted at the same position in field offices for extended periods should be instructed to go to schools and teach students. He emphasized the need for officers to correct their working systems promptly and ensure that schemes are implemented effectively at the ground level.
Dhanda also mentioned his visit to Sarthak School in Sector 12, Panchkula, where he reviewed the arrangements. He stated that every school should strive to become an ideal school like Sarthak School. He emphasized the importance of transforming the education system to improve the quality of schools, so parents are encouraged to send their children to government schools.
It was informed in the meeting that the norms of the National Education Policy have been fully implemented up to Class 3, and the policy will be fully implemented up to Class 7 by this year. Changes have been made to the curriculum in accordance with the education policy, and textbooks aligned with the new curriculum will be provided in this academic session.
Chief Secretary Dr Vivek Joshi, Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary of Higher Education Department Vineet Garg, Principal Secretary of School Education Department, Pankaj Agarwal, Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Yashpal Yadav, and other senior officers were present in the meeting.
