Punjab’s attendance rate in 3–5-year age group highest: Economic Survey

Punjab Economy

Punjab has emerged as a pioneer state in the country by bringing in qualitative improvement in school education in the past three years.
As per the Economic Survey-2021, the state has reported the highest attendance rate in the country of 61.6% in the age group of 3 to 5 years i.e., early childhood education.
School Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla said: “Presently, Punjab is witnessing a renaissance in school education. With a view to strengthening the foundation of learning level from the very beginning, the government, under the stewardship of CM Capt Amarinder Singh, is also the first in the country to start pre-primary classes on November 14, 2017. This achievement also marks the continuous efforts of school teachers as well who have been working hard to transform the government schools.”
Singla said the community had given an overwhelming response as in academic session 2018-19, enrolment in pre-primary was 2.13 lakh, which rose to 2.25 lakh in 2019-20. In the current academic session, government schools had witnessed enrolment of around 3.30 lakh students.
It indicated the change in the mindset as well as the trust being reposed by people in the reforms in school education in Punjab, he said.
Singla said keeping in view the positive change in the public mindset, which could be gauged from increase in enrolment, the Punjab Government had started recruitment of 8,393 pre-primary teachers.