CHANDIGARH: Punjab School Education Department has successfully trained more than 5000 lecturer-grade teachers from government senior secondary schools across Punjab as part of its flagship Business Blasters program.
Divulging this, School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that this initiative is set to benefit over 1, 78, 000 Grade 11 students, equipping them with critical entrepreneurial and 21st-century skills through experiential learning.
He said that the Business Blasters program, a pioneering effort by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government, is designed to develop an entrepreneurial mindset among students, shifting their perspective from being job seekers to job creators. By engaging students in hands-on business projects, the program fosters essential skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, he added.
Through this transformative initiative, the Department of School Education reaffirms its commitment to empowering Punjab's youth and driving socio-economic growth by nurturing a new generation equipped with an entrepreneurial mindset and 21st century skills.
Notably, the Business Blasters program launched by the Mann government under the Young Entrepreneurs Programme Scheme in November 2022 showed immediate impact in its pilot phase. The program engaged 11, 041 students of 11th grade from 32 government senior secondary schools across 9 districts, with 3, 032 students receiving seed money totaling over Rs.60 lacs to support their business ideas in real-world situations.
The program's success led to a massive expansion, covering all 1, 920 government senior secondary schools across 23 districts in Punjab. This scale-up has incorporated 7, 813 teachers and 1, 83, 192 Grade 11 students during the academic year 2023-2024, marking a significant milestone in the state's educational initiatives.
Student participation has been exceptional, with 1, 38, 676 students forming 19, 989 teams to develop business ideas. Through careful selection, 52, 050 students (now in 12th grade) from approximately 7, 500 teams were chosen for seed money disbursement, showcasing the program's widespread appeal.
The state government has made a substantial financial commitment, allocating Rs.10.41 crore as seed money for young entrepreneurs. As of October 1, 2024, Rs.9.38 crore has been credited to 46, 910 students' bank accounts, with remaining disbursements planned for completion soon.
Currently, over 5, 000 lecturer-grade teachers have undergone comprehensive training to support student entrepreneurs. This intensive program ensures that educators are well-equipped to guide students in developing entrepreneurial mindsets and essential 21st-century skills.
S. Bains also highlighted that the program's ultimate goal is to transform Punjab's young students into job creators and problem solvers, advancing the vision of making Punjab a state of entrepreneurs, with the remaining seed money scheduled for distribution in the upcoming bank working days.