Chandigarh’s who’s who adopt 42 government schools
Senior bureaucrats, academicians, entrepreneurs, doctors and other who’s who of society have adopted 42 government schools in Chandigarh to mentor almost 1 lakh students.
The UT Administration on Tuesday launched a special mentorship programme to handhold the children studying in government schools, which reopened today after summer vacations.
To begin with, all the officers posted in the UT Administration, professors of universities and colleges, doctors from PGIMER, and leading entrepreneurs have adopted one senior secondary school each to inspire the students.
The “Adopt a school, inspire a generation” programme was launched after Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria gave a nod to the initiative of the Education Department, while giving a clarion call to the leaders in their respective fields to adopt a school and inspire a generation.
The department has roped in the mentors from varied fields to adopt all the 111 government schools in Chandigarh for handholding the students on essential topics like health, hygiene, cyber laws, and personal growth.
In the first phase, 42 senior secondary schools have been assigned, while the remaining 56 secondary, 10 high, and three primary government schools will be covered subsequently. Of the 1.5-lakh students on rolls in the city’s government schools, one lakh pupils are studying in senior secondary classes.
Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma, IGP Pushpendra Kumar, PGIMER Director Prof Vivek Lal, all the Secretary and Director-rank officials of UT, Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav and SSP Kanwardeep Kaur are among the mentors, who have adopted one school each.
Kataria said the concept of adoption of government schools will emerge as a unique initiative to enhance the quality of education in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 while recognising the critical role of the schools in shaping the future of the students.
Education Secretary Prerna Puri has issued a detailed three-page order — a copy of which is with The Tribune — listing the details of the programme with its aims and objectives.
Prerna Puri said the doctors from PGIMER, GMCH-32, GMSH-16, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (Tata Memorial Centre) will lead workshops on hygiene practices, nutrition, mental well-being, preventive health (first-aid) and mandatory cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training in schools to broaden the educational goals of the student capability, resilience and self-efficacy.
She said all school staffers, both teaching and non-teaching, will be trained for first-aid and CPR by the doctors. The trained school staff will further impart training to the students.
All newly recruited teachers and non-teaching staff will be trained for first-aid within the first three months of their appointment, while the students will be encouraged to organise hygiene drives or awareness campaigns within their communities.
“In the next phase, judges and lawyers will take up sessions on cyber laws, digital rights, online safety, and how to avoid and report cyber threats,” she said, adding that the judicial officers posted in Chandigarh and the eminent lawyers will lead the initiative.
Director School Education (DSE) Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar said the project proposes the voluntary adoption of government schools by political leaders, senior bureaucrats and retired personnel, fostering a collaborative approach to uplift the education landscape.
“The programme is designed to bridge the gap between education and real-world knowledge by connecting students with experienced professionals, who while working closely with principals, teachers, students, and parents will leverage their experience and connect to bring out a positive change in schools and students,” Brar revealed.
Chandigarh