Punjab has entered a new era of educational reform by enabling hundreds of its educators to receive training in some of the world’s most advanced teaching environments. A total of six hundred and forty nine teachers, principals, and headmasters have already been trained at international institutions and India’s top academic centres, signalling a long-term commitment to reshaping the future of learning in the state. By November twenty twenty five, two hundred and sixteen primary teachers had completed programs in Finland, two hundred and thirty four principals and education officers had trained in Singapore, and one hundred and ninety nine headmasters had undergone specialised leadership courses at IIM Ahmedabad.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains recently flagged off the third group of seventy two teachers to the University of Turku in Finland. With this batch, the number of educators trained in Finland’s globally admired school system reached two hundred and sixteen. The first two groups had completed their training in October twenty twenty four and March twenty twenty five. These participants, which included elementary teachers, head teachers, centre heads, and officers from block level primary education, were introduced to Finland’s learner oriented pedagogy and have already begun introducing these methods into classrooms across Punjab.
The state has also turned its attention to strengthening school leadership. For this purpose, nearly two hundred headmasters were chosen for training at IIM Ahmedabad. They learned advanced strategies related to administration, academic planning, innovation in school governance, and mentoring. The fourth group finished its program in November, and another group will attend in December, bringing the total count of IIM trained headmasters to two hundred and forty nine. Each group attends an intensive workshop of five days centred on leadership skills, management techniques, and problem solving approaches tailored for educators.
To further elevate administrative capacity, the government sent two hundred and thirty four principals and officers to Singapore, where they studied modern leadership practices, global models of school excellence, and ways to drive innovation in academic administration. These principals have returned with an approach that is already transforming school operations, teacher support systems, and overall governance across many districts.
All selections for these programs were conducted through a transparent review that emphasised merit, experience, and demonstrated performance. A five member committee handled the process, ensuring that educators chosen were genuinely committed to improving the school ecosystem. The trained participants are now serving as master trainers, guiding fellow teachers in adopting modern instructional techniques and cultivating student focused classroom environments.
This initiative has significantly strengthened teacher confidence and introduced new dimensions of collaborative learning, emotional well being, and innovative pedagogy. With six hundred and forty nine educators already trained through these global and national programs, Punjab is witnessing visible improvements in classroom culture and student engagement. When teachers return from places like Finland, Singapore, and IIM Ahmedabad, they bring with them a renewed understanding of creativity, critical thinking, and practical learning, which directly benefits students.
The Punjab government has made it clear that this effort will continue to expand. By investing in world class teacher training, the state is building an education system capable of preparing students for a rapidly changing future while ensuring that every child has access to modern, holistic, and high quality learning experiences.
