The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government allocated Rs 17,975 crore to the education sector in the 2025-26 budget presented in the Assembly on Wednesday.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the allocation is 12 per cent of the total expenditure.

For the fourth year in a row, the AAP government’s flagship school education project Schools of Eminence (SoE) have been given the highest budgetary allocation of Rs 100 crore among specialised school education projects initiated by AAP government. Under the project, 118 government schools are being upgraded into state-of-the-art schools from Class IX to XII based on the Delhi education model of the previous AAP government.

However, despite the AAP government’s best efforts since coming to power in Punjab in 2022, only 14 out of the proposed 118 SoEs have thus far been inaugurated.

In 2022-23, the Punjab government had allocated Rs 100 crore for SoEs Rs 200 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 100 crore in 2024-25.

Replying to a query by Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal about the progress of SoEs in Punjab, Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary informed the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session through a written reply: “As informed by the state government of Punjab, 118 Government Senior Secondary schools in the state of Punjab are being transformed into Schools of Eminence (SoEs). The construction and renovation of 14 SoEs have been completed. The construction and renovation of SoEs are being done in phases.”

A Punjab Education Department official said, “As many as 14 SoEs have been dedicated to the people of Punjab and another 13 are ready for launch, while the construction/renovation is underway in 15 other schools. The remaining 76 will be covered in a phased manner.”

The state government for the first time allocated Rs 220 crore to the Centre’s PM-SHRI schools project. A political row had erupted earlier between the Centre and AAP-led Punjab government after the latter refused to implement the PM-SHRI project in the state, prompting the Centre to block the Samagra Shiksha funds to Punjab.

The funds were released after Punjab agreed to upgrade more than 300 schools under the central scheme.

Rs 10 crore was allocated for upgrading government primary schools as Schools of Happiness and Rs 15 crore have been earmarked for Schools of Brilliance — another project of the AAP government.

Announcing Rs 17 crore for the Schools of Applied Learning and Rs 12 crore for the Mission Samarth, Cheema in his speech said “The Schools of Applied Learning Scheme will equip students with technical skills for livelihood opportunities, while the Mission Samrath will instill essential competencies in primary and upper primary students.”

The minister said, “As many as 425 primary schools are being converted into Schools of Happiness to create nurturing environments with well-ventilated classrooms, play areas, and activity corners.”

“Besides, to reduce electricity costs and promote clean energy, solar panels have already been installed in 4,098 government schools, with further expansion planned. Infrastructure upgrades, including boundary walls and maintenance grants, will ensure secure and well-maintained schools, especially for girl students,” Cheema said.

The minister also lauded Hoshiarpur district for bagging an award for its Green Schools Programme.

Lauding the existing education schemes of the AAP government, Cheema said, “The Mission Samarth has strengthened the basic skills of students impacting at least 1.4 million children by focusing on interactive teaching methods. As many as 21.81 lakh parents participated in Parent-Teacher meetings (PTMs) in government schools, and at least 354 educators were sent for training to Finland and Singapore.”

Among the fixed expenditures, which include salaries of the teachers, etc., Rs 1,240 crore was earmarked for the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Rs 466 crore for the PM Poshan (Mid-day meal), Rs 194 crore for the upkeep of government schools, Rs 80 crore for boundary walls in schools, among others.