Punjab has advanced its education reform drive by launching the next phase of its Sikhya Kranti initiative, with Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia unveiling Mission Samrath 4.0 on Thursday. The programme focuses on strengthening foundational learning while introducing a state wide attendance tracking system that will send daily SMS updates to parents about their child’s presence in school, aiming to improve accountability and ensure consistent learning.
Describing it as a major step forward, the minister said Punjab, which already ranks first in the PARAKH assessment survey, is now shifting its focus from recognition to measurable outcomes by tightening classroom monitoring and expanding effective teaching practices. He highlighted that the state government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has increased the education budget to ₹19,279 crore, ensuring that funds are directly utilised for improving schools and learning results.
As part of the new phase, the attendance system will alert parents daily and flag prolonged absences at both district and state levels. Students missing school for seven days will prompt direct outreach from district authorities, while those absent for more than fifteen days will be escalated to the state level, ensuring both academic continuity and student safety.
Bains said the programme is designed to strengthen teaching quality and accountability, with a focus on ensuring that every child develops strong foundational skills. He also reflected on his role, calling it a meaningful responsibility and noting that education leadership has become more valued than in the past.
He pointed to significant investments in infrastructure, stating that government schools now have improved facilities, including campus managers, security staff and sanitation workers, which were previously lacking. He also noted that textbooks are now delivered on time, with all students receiving complete sets at the start of the academic session.
Mission Samrath 4.0 will continue to prioritise students in classes 3 to 8, focusing on reading, writing and mathematics. The programme uses a level based teaching approach, grouping students according to their learning ability rather than grade. According to the minister, Punjab has surpassed national averages in foundational learning by a significant margin, reflecting the impact of these reforms.
A compendium of 38 effective classroom practices developed by teachers was also released during the event, which will now be implemented across government schools to further improve outcomes, especially for students needing additional support.
Manish Sisodia praised Punjab’s progress, stating that the state has demonstrated how government schools can lead nationally. He said the initiative ensures that students attend school regularly and continue learning effectively, while also emphasising that no child should be left behind in the education system.
Officials added that Mission Samrath has already grown into one of the largest foundational learning programmes in the country, reaching around 12 lakh students and involving over 70,000 teachers each year. The latest phase aims to build on this progress and push Punjab’s education system towards global standards.
