Chandigarh, Feb. 8 -- The Punjab school education department on Saturday organised the second statewide, school-level parents' workshop across all government schools, engaging more than 17.5 lakh parents in a landmark exercise in community participation. Sharing details of the initiative, school education minister Harjot Singh Bains said the workshop was conducted simultaneously across the state and witnessed unprecedented parental involvement. He said the mega initiative, spearheaded by the state council of educational research and training (SCERT), has set a new benchmark for parental engagement in the state's education system. "The initiative reflects the commitment of the chief minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government towards collaborative learning. It reinforces our resolve to further elevate education standards under the Punjab Sikhya Kranti by making parents active partners in the learning journey," he said. Bains led a workshop at Government High School, Manakpur (Nangal), in the Anandpur Sahib constituency, where he interacted with parents and students. Explaining the objectives of the programme, Bains said the workshop aimed to "empower parents with practical strategies for stress-free exam preparation, help them build children's confidence through positive reinforcement, and raise awareness about drug abuse prevention under Punjab's Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, with a focus on early detection, prevention, and support." He added that several senior leaders participated in workshops across the state to strengthen outreach. "Cabinet ministers including Dr Baljit Kaur, Harbhajan Singh ETO, Lalchand Kataruchak, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, and Hardeep Singh Mundian, along with over 40 MLAs, joined the workshops in their respective constituencies, demonstrating a unified political commitment to support and strengthen the education system while promoting community engagement," he said. Referring to the continuity of the initiative, Bains said the event built on the success of the first workshop held in December 2025. "The programme has further strengthened the partnership between schools and students' families, empowering parents with insights into their children's academic progress and ways to support learning at home," he said....