Govt plans to brush up English speaking skills of govt school students in Punjab

State Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, along with Punjab in-charge of the Aam Aadmi Party, Manish Sisodia, launched '"The English Edge - Learn Smart, Speak Sharp"', a flagship programme to empower government school students with world-class English communication skills.

Addressing the gathering at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, on Tuesday, Bains said that this ambitious programme has been rolled out to empower 3 lakh students in Grade 9 to 12 across 500 government schools in Punjab, equipping them with confident English speaking, reading and thinking skills, besides enhancing their employability and access to the global market.

Describing it as a milestone under Punjab Sikhya Kranti, a mission to revolutionise Punjab's education system, Harjot Singh Bains said the programme combines in-school digital reading lessons with home-based speaking practice. "Through guided reading, pronunciation support and daily 10-minute practice sessions, it would help to enhance comprehension and spoken fluency, empowering students to excel in English. The programme integrates classroom learning with digital technology to make English learning joyful, inclusive and practical," he said.

The initiative is being implemented by the Punjab School Education Department in collaboration with EnglishHelper, a global EdTech organisation that has worked across several Indian states to improve English proficiency and language confidence, he added.

The programme complements ongoing reforms such as Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum, Drug De-Addiction Curriculum, and Business Blasters Programme, all designed to make Punjab's classrooms hubs of creativity, communication and critical thinking, Bains added. "Punjab's students are brimming with talent and potential. This flagship programme will empower every child, regardless of background, to express themselves confidently in English. This programme isn't just about language skills — it's about unlocking Punjab's future. We are ensuring that every child in government schools has the same confidence and competence to shine on the world stage, on an equal footing with anyone else," he said.

Manish Sisodia said that the tagline "Learn Smart, Speak Sharp" encapsulates the programme's vision --- to help students evolve with the evolving world, think independently and communicate confidently. By empowering its youth with the power of language, Punjab is investing in its most valuable asset-its children. This initiative will unlock countless opportunities in higher education and the global job market, ensuring that Punjab's talent is not just local, but global.