Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Saturday launched his government's ambitious project Schools of Eminence, saying it is a "revolutionary" step in ensuring a golden future for the students and also a giant leap towards becoming a real frontrunner in education.

A budget of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for the Schools of Eminence project.

The project aims at reimagining education in government schools envisioning holistic development of students and preparing them to be responsible citizens. Its five pillars are state-of-the-art infrastructure, academics, human resource management, sports and co-curricular activities and community engagement, a senior official said.

Under the Schools of Eminence project, 117 government schools in 23 districts will be upgraded with a special emphasis on classes 9 to 12.

The official said besides career-related counselling, Innovative teaching practices will be followed and guidance for professional exams will also be provided to students.

Mann said these schools are being set up to cherish the aspirations of the freedom fighters which will groom students for futuristic needs and help Punjab emerge as a role model in the education sector.?

The day is not far when these government schools will provide a better education than the private schools, he said.

"Such schools have already revolutionised the education sector in Delhi. Now it is the turn of Punjab where this model will be implemented successfully," Mann said.?

Describing teachers as nation builders, the chief minister said they have to play a pivotal role in bringing qualitative change in the education sector.

About his government's decision to send 36 teachers to Singapore for training, he said it will help them learn the advanced practices prevailing around the globe.

He alleged the previous governments ignored the education sector and that several students were forced to leave their education in between.?

"Those leaders wanted to give a push to their political career while compromising with the future of the students from weaker and underprivileged sections of society. Due to regressive policies of these leaders, the state lagged in fields of health and education thereby jeopardising the progress of youth," Mann alleged.