‘Aarambh’ begins: A new dawn in Punjab’s education system

MOHALI: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab government commemorated Children’s Day with the launch of an innovative educational initiative “Aarambh,” aimed at revolutionising early childhood education through enhanced parental engagement.
During the state level function at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA), Chandigarh, School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains alongside Chief Guest-Charanpreet Kaur, students of 8th standard from School of Eminence, Phase-11, Mohali unveiled this transformative programme before an audience exceeding 500 attendees, including education officials from four states and representatives from more than 20 NGOs.
Whilst addressing the gathering, Harjot Singh Bains emphasised that with over 3.5 lakh pre-primary students presently enrolled in Punjab’s government schools, early childhood education has become increasingly vital.
He elaborated that programme “Aarambh” exemplifies their commitment to fostering comprehensive early childhood development, acknowledging that over 85% of brain development occurs before age six. The initiative introduces an innovative digital platform establishing teacher-parent communities at the school level, facilitating daily educational content sharing through WhatsApp groups. This approach shall ensure continuous parental guidance and involvement in children’s early learning processes, particularly benefiting over 3.8 lakh low-income families.

The Cabinet Minister disclosed that this initiative shall initially commence in eight districts: Ludhiana, Mohali, Patiala, Rupnagar, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Tarn Taran, Sangrur and Amritsar, in collaboration with the Punjab Development Commission and Rocket Learning NGO. This strategic implementation shall establish new standards in early childhood education, positioning Punjab as a pioneer in educational innovation.

The event’s highlight was a special presentation by four primary school teachers who received training in Finland, sharing their expertise on implementing play-based and holistic development approaches in early education.
The School Education Minister honoured 40 pre-primary teachers for their exceptional contributions to early childhood education in Punjab.
Dr. Amninder Kaur (PCS), Director, SCERT, Punjab stated, “Programme Aarambh will create a vital bridge between parents and teachers, ensuring every child in Punjab receives optimal support both at home and school.”
Over 1.5 lakh parents and 15,000 teachers witnessed the launch event via video message.