The Punjab government has announced the conversion of 425 government primary schools into ‘Schools of Happiness’ under the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) scheme. Each school will receive a grant of Rs 40 lakh, with a total of Rs 171.70 crore allocated for this initiative aimed at upgrading infrastructure and enhancing the learning environment.
In the first phase, 127 schools will be upgraded, and many have already received their Rs 40 lakh grants, while the remaining funds are expected shortly. The district of Rupnagar will see the highest number of ‘Schools of Happiness’ in Phase 1, with 20 schools, followed by Fatehgarh Sahib with 13, and both Amritsar and Ludhiana with 10 schools each.
Infrastructure and Facilities
The grants will be used for constructing additional classrooms, resource rooms, libraries, computer labs, modern kitchens, and upgrading essential facilities like toilets, drinking water with RO systems, ramps, handrails, and playgrounds. In Ludhiana, Rs 4.04 crore will be spent across 10 schools, with Rs 2.32 crore already received. Two schools—Government Primary School, Bhattian and Government Primary School, Galwaddi—have already begun upgrading.
District Education Officer Ravinder Kaur emphasized that the work at these schools will include creating more inclusive and engaging learning spaces, with facilities for sports like kho-kho and kabaddi, along with playground equipment such as swings and sliders.
Monitoring and Implementation
Secretary of School Education, Kamal Kishor Yadav, has instructed District Education Officers (DEOs) to form teams under the supervision of Deputy DEOs and Block Primary Education Officers (BPEOs) to ensure regular inspections of the ongoing projects. The focus will be on ensuring that the design and architecture align with the guidelines of the scheme.
Schools in Ludhiana Under Phase 1
The following 10 schools in Ludhiana have been selected for the first phase of the initiative:
- GPS Akhara
- GPS Galwaddi
- GPS Gobindgarh
- GPS Kohara
- GPS Bhattian
- GPS Chuharpur
- GPS Kasabad
- GPS Mundian Khurd
- GPS Johlan
- GPS Ghalib Kalan
This initiative is part of a larger effort by the Punjab government to provide modern, well-equipped learning environments that promote holistic development for students.
Conclusion
The ‘Schools of Happiness’ initiative aims to significantly uplift the education infrastructure in Punjab, ensuring that students in government schools have access to better facilities and learning opportunities. With strong oversight and community involvement, this scheme is expected to bring long-lasting improvements to primary education in the state.
