The Punjab Education Department has started a comprehensive survey to assess infrastructure, mid-day meal quality, student enrolment, and skill training across nearly 19,000 government schools in the state.Inspired by similar exercises conducted by the Union Ministry of Education, the survey aims to track infrastructure, enrolment patterns, retention rates, and student learning outcomes.A senior official said 37 District Education Officers (DEOs) from the Elementary and Secondary Education wings have been tasked with cross-district school visits to strengthen accountability and improve governance.The exercise began with Mohali as a pilot district and will be expanded to Patiala and other districts in phases.In Mohali, 23 DEOs from Elementary Education and 23 from Secondary Education are participating. They visit schools in teams of two or three and spend nearly three structured hours at each institution, a significant departure from routine short inspections. So far, 12 schools across three to four blocks in Mohali have been covered, including government primary schools, middle schools, senior secondary schools, and Schools of Eminence.Officers are examining key aspects such as the implementation of Mission Samrath, student grouping practices, classroom teaching methods, use of teaching-learning materials, enrolment and retention trends, mid-day meal quality, School Management Committee functioning, and parent engagement. At the secondary level, special focus is on Hunar Sikhia and the overall functioning of Schools of Eminence.Direct interactions with students, teachers, school heads, parents, and SMC members form an integral part of the visits. Team-building activities and student engagement sessions have also been included to make the process more participatory.Senior officials said the initiative moves beyond traditional inspection formats to encourage deeper academic review and collaborative learning. “This is not just about checking compliance. It is about understanding what works on the ground, identifying gaps, and sharing best practices across districts,” a senior education department official said.The department plans to compile findings and insights from these visits to recommend large-scale changes in pedagogy, school governance, and academic practices across the state.