Five things to know about Schools of Happiness, a new project of Punjab govt

1. Infrastructure: The Government Primary School in Lakher village, Anandpur Sahib, will soon relocate to a new, state-of-the-art building designed by architects from the Punjab Works Department. This school is the first to be upgraded under Punjab’s ambitious Schools of Happiness project. The new design aims to create an environment that promotes student well-being and happiness, incorporating features like colourful furniture, engaging panel boards, and the introduction of ‘bag-free Saturdays.’

2. Inauguration on Children’s Day: The Punjab government is working swiftly to ensure that the first School of Happiness is ready to be inaugurated on Children’s Day. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains expressed the hope that this timeline would be met, emphasising the government’s commitment to blending happiness with education. The school is located in the backward Changar area of Bains’ Assembly constituency.

3. Statewide Expansion: The Schools of Happiness initiative plans to upgrade at least 132 schools across Punjab. Out of these, 10 schools will be in urban areas, and 122 will be in rural regions. The government has already identified 37 schools for this upgrade. The project involves significant investment, with Rs 1 crore allocated for each urban school and Rs 1.38 crore for each rural school.

4. Comprehensive Facilities: The redesigned Schools of Happiness will feature eight classrooms, a computer lab, and interactive panels in every classroom. Age-appropriate furniture will be provided, along with sports facilities for badminton, cricket, and football. The focus is on creating an attractive and engaging learning environment.

5. Holistic Development Focus: The curriculum at these schools will be aligned with the government’s Mission Samarth initiative, which includes monthly health check-ups and the formation of student clubs. To foster creativity, students will receive support in learning art, music, and dance.

Punjab has a robust network of 12,800 primary schools, staffed by 48,000 teachers and serving over 1.4 million children from pre-primary to grade 5. The state government has earmarked Rs 10 crore for the Schools of Happiness project in this fiscal year’s budget and plans to utilise additional funds from NABARD for further upgrades.