Mission Schools of Excellence: Gujarat Leads with India’s Largest Education Reform

Gujarat's ambitious Mission Schools of Excellence initiative has emerged as the largest school education reform programme in India, achieving major milestones in upgrading infrastructure and digital capabilities across the state's government and grant-in-aid schools.

Launched in 2022 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the mission aims to transform approximately 40,000 schools in Gujarat. Backed by a substantial allocation of ₹12,000 crore from the state government and a $750 million commitment from the World Bank, the initiative is designed to revolutionise foundational education across the state.

According to the Gujarat Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the project has already completed the construction of 13,353 new classrooms, 21,000 computer labs, 1.09 lakh smart classrooms, and 5,000 STEM labs, placing Gujarat at the forefront of education reform in India.

“The objective of 'Mission Schools of Excellence' is to upgrade around 40,000 government and grant-in-aid schools by strengthening infrastructure, digital learning tools, and foundational education. This is the first such project in the country aimed at enhancing the quality of school education nationwide,” stated the CMO.

The long-term initiative, developed over the past 22 years, has played a key role in improving enrollment rates and strengthening the academic foundation of the state’s students. The programme combines infrastructural upgrades with digital innovation to deliver a holistic education experience.

The mission targets the construction of 50,000 new classrooms and 1,50,000 new smart classrooms. So far, work on 13,353 new classrooms has been completed, with construction ongoing for 31,469 more. Additionally, the modernisation of 27,872 existing classrooms has been finished, while work on upgrading another 63,860 classrooms is currently in progress.

To further integrate technology in education, 21,000 computer labs have already been established, and the process of equipping an additional 18,000 schools with computer labs is underway. Out of the 1.5 lakh smart classrooms planned, 1.09 lakh have been completed, and work is ongoing for another 26,000.

The mission also includes the successful installation of 5,000 STEM labs to promote hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“Enhancing schools with robust infrastructure, smart classrooms, STEM labs, and co-curricular facilities within the campus plays a vital role in improving academic quality. Gujarat, a pioneer in adopting new approaches in education, launched the country's largest inclusive school campaign – ‘Mission Schools of Excellence’,” the statement further added.

The mission also focuses on comprehensive school transformation, encompassing civil works, digital and smart classroom infrastructure, computer and STEM labs, online assessments, remedial support, and the promotion of holistic education. This large-scale school improvement effort is expected to directly and indirectly benefit nearly one crore students, strengthening the foundation of primary and secondary education across Gujarat.

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