MP’s Jawad leading the way in education reform, advancing PM Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision

Bhopal: The innovative education reform spearheaded by an MLA has transformed Jawad, a rural Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh, into a beacon of academic excellence. It has redefined government schools as hubs of learning innovation, aligning seamlessly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

What began in 2003 as a modest effort to foster academic competition has evolved into a comprehensive movement, bridging the digital divide, empowering students with modern skills, setting new benchmarks, and inspiring educational excellence across the state.

According to Kailash Soni, a resident of Morvan village in the Jawad Assembly area of Neemuch district, the initiative was launched by MLA, Omprakash Sakhlecha, with a reward of Rs 5,000 for only two government school students who passed the higher secondary examination with first division.

“Since then, a spirit of academic competition has been ignited among students across the region, including tribal areas, motivating them to excel in exams. This year, the number of high achievers has surpassed the 200 mark”, he told Millennium Post.

With continuous rewards, the MLA expanded his initiative by distributing 100 computers to government schools to bridge the digital divide and equip students with essential IT skills in 2008, when computers were mostly limited to corporate offices and elite private schools.

To advance the mission, the legislator established digital classrooms in 14 government schools, equipping them with projectors, internet access, and digital boards, to leap into the digital age and introduce advanced learning methodologies.

“In a landmark achievement in 2020, 17 government school students from our area cleared NEET, while 13 qualified for JEE Mains,” said Mukesh Jain, a retired principal of Govt Girls HSS, Jawad.

“This set a record for the highest number of such successes from any constituency in the state, highlighting the remarkable progress in education,” Jain added.

During a visit to Jawad, then Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar praised these efforts and tweeted that Jawad was ‘10 years ahead of the nation’ in digital education.

In 2018, Sakhlecha facilitated a month-long, fully funded training program in Japan for 15 students from the area. This initiative exposed the students to global opportunities.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 750 free tablets were distributed to students, enabling them to continue their education online. A Bengaluru-based company was hired to facilitate competitive exam preparation through digital platforms, ensuring uninterrupted learning.

Continuing this initiative, 2,000 laptops were distributed free of cost to government school students in 2020, most of whom came from impoverished or tribal backgrounds. English-speaking and AI courses were introduced, helping even tribal students become fluent in English.

For the first time, tribal and underprivileged students of government schools in the region have access to advanced learning tools like laptops, tablets, and digital classrooms. Online foreign language learning programs have also been introduced to become fluent in English, German, and Japanese, thereby they are pursuing international opportunities.

Preparatory exams like N5 and N4 for Japanese language certification have been introduced. Eight students have already cleared these exams.

Sakhlecha’s efforts have transformed Jawad into a model constituency for educational reform, improving government school students’ academic performance and providing them a platform to dream big and compete globally. The initiative leads the way, both in the state and across the country.

“The taste of success is growing,” former Minister Omprakash Sakhlecha, the BJP MLA from the Jawad Assembly constituency, who has been consecutively elected since 2003, told Millennium Post.

“A healthy body, a sound mind, and an advanced education system are essential for building an Atmanirbhar Bharat. This effort aims to ensure that children in government schools also receive quality education,” the legislator added.

Sakhlecha emphasized that professionally educated students who adapt to the pace of the modern world would undoubtedly become self-reliant. He further stated that PM Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat has inspired and accelerated his efforts toward this goal.

“Education is my mission, and my goal is to fulfil Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay’s dream of providing quality education to every child,” he added.