Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, inaugurated 211 PM SHRI schools in Raipur today. Other dignitaries including Minister of Education, Government of Chhattisgarh, Shri Brijmohan Aggarwal; Members of Parliament, Shri Sunil Soni, Shri Rajesh Munat, Shri Purandar Mishra, Shri Moti Lal Sahu, Shri Guru Khushwant Saheb; Secretary, Department of School and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Shri Sanjay Kumar; Additional Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Shri Vipin Kumar and other dignitaries were also present. Shri Pradhan also inaugurated a Digital Library for Kendriya Vidyalaya and Virtual Reality labs for Navodaya Vidyalaya of the State. The dignitaries also visited an exhibition set up by the school students. Three short films on the PM SHRI Yojana, Kendriya Vidyalaya and Navodaya Vidyalaya were also shown during the event. The Minister also presented certificates to students who have excelled in academics, sports, Kala Utsav etc.
While addressing the event, Shri Pradhan expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for strengthening the education ecosystem of the country with schemes like PM SHRI. In the second phase more schools will be added to the list of 211 schools inaugurated today, he added. He commended the students of the state for their confidence and hard work and said that their ability to think critically will propel them ahead. He applauded the Chief Minister for making education a priority.
He also stressed the importance of learning in the mother tongue for holistic development which has been emphasised in NEP 2020. Highlighting the scientific evidence of 85% of human brain development by the age of 8, Shri Pradhan informed the introduction of Balvatika in schools and how that will help children. Skills, vocational studies, song, drama, sports etc. that provide competency and employability will supplement academic studies now, in addition to language, mathematics, science, environmental science and social science, Shri Pradhan added. Innovation is in the DNA of Indian students and that has to be given importance.
Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, in his address, expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for envisioning PM SHRI schools and expressed his resolve to improve the education system of the state to help its children.
Shri Sanjay Kumar in his address informed how the PM SHRI schools will have improved infrastructure facilitating in world-class education for the children. He also explained some significant features of NEP 2020 and informed NCERT will soon bring new textbooks following the new curriculum. Moving away from rote learning, it is important to imbibe critical thinking and NEP2020 encourages that in children, he added. He also emphasized the importance of skilling and informed how it will be made an integral part of the education system. ‘Ease of Schooling’ as envisaged by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, will be facilitated with the help of PM SHRI schools, he said.
PM SHRI School is a centrally sponsored scheme by the Government of India intended to develop more than 14500 PM SHRI Schools in which every student feels welcomed and cared for, where a safe and stimulating learning environment exists, where a wide range of learning experiences are offered, and where good physical infrastructure and appropriate resources conducive to learning are available to all students.
