Sri Anandpur Sahib: In a major pro-employee decision, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday announced to regularise the services of 8736 teachers across the state.

Extending warm wishes towards teachers at the event here on Teacher’s Day, the Chief Minister said that he is elated to share that the Aam Aadmi Government has decided to regularise the service of 8736 teachers. He said that in this pious land and on this auspicious day services of 5442 Education Service Providers, 1130 Inclusive Education Teachers and others will be regularised. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is committed for ensuring well being of every strata of society.

In a bid to counter school drop-out rate among girl students in lack of transportation facilities, Chief Minister also announced to start shuttle bus service for government school going girl students across the state. He said that it’s a basic duty of the government to provide qualitative education to each and every child, while taking care of their basic needs such as transportation, diet, infrastructure and others. Bhagwant Mann asserted that in absence of transportation facility the school drop-out rate is much higher among girls, so we have decided to grant this facility to every girl child of the state to counter this phenomenon vigorously.

Announcing to utilise services of teachers only for teaching duties, Chief Minister said that they will not be used for any non teaching work. Describing digital education as the need of the hour, he said that it is must to compete on global level due to which it has been decided to send teachers to Oxford, Harvard and other renowned universities to acquire new teaching skills on lines of Delhi government. Bhagwant Mann said that being the son of a teacher, he knows the basic needs, problems and plights of the teachers.

The Chief Minister also shared his experiences about his teachers and paid respect towards them. Urging the teachers to shun the path of agitation and invited them for deliberations, the Chief Minister said that the policies adopted during previous dispensations, created unwanted hindrances but special attention is being given to Education and Health as these are the core areas of concern of Aam Aadmi Government. Bhagwant Mann further announced to develop Sri Anandpur Sahib and Nangal as Eco-Tourism destinations.

Earlier, the School Education Minister Harjot Bains said that the State government has determined to develop 100 Schools of Eminence and the department is working tirelessly on war footing to translate this announcement on ground as soon as possible. He said that Punjab will become the harbinger of another revolution called the Education Revolution after excellently and efficiently showing the path of Green & White Revolution to the nation.

In his address, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema informed about the massive increase in school education budget at the rate of 17 percent in tune of Rs. 15758 crore. He also said that the Technical Education Budget and the Medical Education Budget have been enhanced to a tune of 47% and 57% respectively.

Meanwhile, Member Parliament and former Cricketer Harbhajan Singh also shared his experiences of student life and extended the warm words of greetings towards teachers.

On this occasion the Chief Minister felicitated 65 teachers and nine Administrators for their marvelous achievements in this field with shawls and Appreciation Certificates.

Prominent among others who were present at the event included Cabinet Ministers Harpal Cheema and Harjot Bains, Member Parliament Raghav Chadha and Harbhajan Singh, Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Janjua, ACS to CM A Venu Prasad, Principal Secretary School Education Jaspreet Talwar and DGSE Pradeep Aggarwal.