Haryana Government has taken several initiatives to improve the quality of education

Chandigarh, July 5—The Haryana Government has taken several initiatives to improve the quality of education, provide the students enabling environment to hone their skills and faculties, and make them grow as responsible citizens capable of meeting the challenges of future.
Disclosing this at a press conference here today, the Additional Chief Secretary, School Education Department,  Dheera Khandelwal, said several initiatives had been taken to improve the quality of school education with stress on learning, listening and speaking abilities of students.
These include reading guarantee programme to providing complete knowledge of Hindi and English language. Besides, 238 English medium schools have been made bag-free Science and Maths have been introduced in English medium from class IX, student assessment test every two months and setting up of six    English language labs and Atal Tinkering Laboratories. Emphasis has also been laid on imparting training to teachers to teach especially abled students in specific subjects.
With focus set on imparting quality education and effecting all-round development of students, the department has taken many improvement initiatives. In 2017-18, classes I and II in 180 English Medium schools were made bag-free, and this year, 238 schools are being covered.
She said six language labs had been set up in selected Model Sanskriti Schools to facilitate digital learning and improving listening and speaking skills of the students. Gradually, more language labs would be set up in other schools of the state.
A booklet containing 1,000 sentences or phrases has been prepared which contains 200 sentences for each class up to class V. This would ensure the students would learn about 1,000 words till class V at primary level of schooling.
Khandelwal said the state government had taken the initiative to attach students with nature. All students studying in class 6th to 12th would be motivated to plant a sapling at their house, nearby their house or at a public place, and also protect it till it matures.
This year, under Super 100 Programme, 100 meritorious students of government schools securing more than 85 per cent marks in Class 10th would get free coaching for IIT, JEE, NEET along with boarding and facility. This two-year training course for medical and engineering competitive entrance exams would be absolutely free of cost.
Government will conduct entrance test in June for candidates seeking admission in this course. The scheme has been launched for the current financial year 2018-19. The Non-Government Organization Vikalp Foundation will provide necessary coaching and mentoring to these students for two years, she added.
Khandelwal said the department would select 225 students to provide free expert coaching for entrance examinations. Moreover, the state government would also bear the boarding, lodging and travel expenditure during these two years. Other institutes like ALLEN, Laksay and ACE have approached the department to be a partner in the initiative, she added.
For promotion of science, the department has started teaching Maths and Science in English medium from class 9 in selected 310 schools. The ALLEN Institute has shown interest to be a voluntary partner to execute this new initiative by providing orientation to the teachers.
In order to promote Science Programme, about 2,300 Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) Kits have been provided to secondary and senior secondary schools in the last two years i.e. 2016-2017 and 2017-18. In addition, 8,000 science kits have been supplied in all schools running Middle Classes.
Mathematics Corners or Labs and Ganit Gyan Clubs are being developed in schools to promote Mathematics. Mathematics kits have been provided to primary schools for learning mathematics by doing practicals.
Khandelwal said in 2017-18, the department had constituted Quiz Clubs in Schools. Question Bank on the basis of Text Books has been developed class-wise, subject-wise and chapter-wise. These questions are available on the department’s website. Quiz competitions are being organized from school level to cluster, block, district and state level.
Joyful Saturday programme is also being run in schools in which the students are made aware about their responsibility towards society through strengthening the cultural values, folk art, heritage and customs of society. Various co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are organized everySaturday in all schools to create interest in these activities.
She said that in view of the learning outcome, Student Assessment Test would be held from Class 1 to 12 every two months. Pre-board exams are also being conducted for the board classes.
A pilot project, National Skill Qualifications Framework (NSQF) was successfully launched in 40 schools of eight districts, with 4 skills i.e. Retail, Security, Automobile and IT/ITeS. Now, training in 14 skills is being imparted in 1,001 schools, which has benefitted 1,07,182 students.
Home base education has also been initiated for especially abled students who cannot go to school; teachers are educating such children by visiting their house.
Khandelwal said this year Career Counseling and Conflict Management Cells would be set up in districts. In Career Counseling, the students would get career-related advice. The Conflict Management Cell would counsel students from time to time to ensure that they don’t nurture the feelings of hatred and jealousy. The students, teachers and parents could also visit the cell any time and discuss any topic, she added.