Chandigarh, March 3:

Punjab School Education Minister S. Harjot Singh Bains, along with the Finland Ambassador to India Mr. Kimmo Lahdevirta, inaugurated one-week training for 2nd batch of 72 primary school teachers here today.

After inaugurating the training program at Punjab Bhawan, S. Harjot Singh Bains said this batch of teachers will depart to Finland on March 15 for two-week training at University of Turku under the knowledge exchange program.

Discussing the successful completion of the first batch's training from October 21 to November 8 last year at University of Turku,the Education Minister held threadbare deliberations with the Finland Ambassador to India, Mr. Kimmo Lahdevirta and experts from the University of Turku to further enhance collaboration in the field of education between Punjab and Finland to elevate the standards of school education in the state. He emphasised on the further strengthening ties with the Finland, which is known for its world-class education system.

Reaffirming the commitment of Punjab Government to provide world-class education in the state, S. Bains expressed keen interest in learning from Finland's innovative educational practices, particularly in areas like elementary education, teacher training, and digital learning. He emphasised the importance of equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in today's competitive world.

Highlighting the role of international collaboration in achieving this goal, the Minister praised Punjab school teachers for adopting new methodologies that make learning more engaging, enjoyable, and effective, laying a strong foundation for the modernisation of education in the state.

S. Harjot Singh Bains outlined the state government's commitment to keeping updating the education standards, emphasising that the teacher training program is a crucial step in aligning Punjab's educational system with international standards. He reiterated the government's dedication to equipping teachers with the necessary knowledge, training and tools to foster a stress-free and engaging learning environment.

Finland's Ambassador Mr. Kimmo Lahdevirta lauded the Punjab Government's transformative and progressive initiatives in the education sector, while expressing Finland's unwavering support for educational collaboration with Punjab. He reaffirmed Finland's commitment to helping the state enhance its educational framework. He said that the exchange of best practices and knowledge would benefit both parties.

S. Harjot Singh Bains stated that the Punjab Government is also implementing a 'Train the Trainer' program to further sustain and expand the impact of the training initiative. This program empowers selected teachers to become trainers themselves, enabling them to share their knowledge with other educators and create a cascading effect that will benefit the entire primary school education system in Punjab. This approach aims to create a long-term, self-sustaining model for improving education across the state, he added.

Secretary School Education Mr. Kamal Kishor Yadav expressed appreciation for the Finnish experts' for continued support in making the training program a success. He highlighted the potential impact of this collaboration on the state's educational system. Director SCERT, Punjab Ms. Amaninder Kaur Brar expressed her gratitude towards the distinguished experts from Finland and emphasised the importance of this international collaboration in raising the standards of primary education in Punjab.

The School Education Minister also felicitated Mr. Kimmo Lahdevirta, Counsellor of Science and Higher Education at the Embassy of Finland Ms. Liisa Toivonen, Key Account Manager University of Turku Mr. Ari Koski, Chair of Global Educational Services, Faculty of Education University of Turku Ms. Kristiina Heikkila, Vice Principal of Rauma Teacher Training School, Finland Ms. Soili Norra and Senior Researcher of Department of Teacher Education Ms. Suvi Puolakka.