793 Educators and Staff honored with ‘Pride of School Award’ as FAP National Awards 2025 conclude at Chandigarh University
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, November 29, 2025: In recognition of their invaluable contribution in elevating the stature of education, sports and culture in the country, 793 schools, principals, teachers and school staff members from over 800 schools across 18 States and Union Territories received ‘Pride of School Award’ on the concluding day of the 5th edition of the FAP National Awards 2025 held at Chandigarh University campus.
Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) chairman Amarpal Singh graced the Awards presentation as Chief Guest along with Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor, Chandigarh University, Satnam Singh Sandhu. The other dignitaries who attanded the event included guest of honor and singer Jasbir Jassi and President of FAP, Dr Jagjit Singh Dhuri.
On concluding day of 2-day FAP National Awards 2025, besides 170 principals and 265 teachers, the recipients of the ‘Pride of School Award’ included 32 accountants, 36 clerks, three gardeners, five peons, 20 support staff, 19 transportation staff and 32 non-teaching staff members of private schools. In all, over 1500 schools, teachers, principals, students and staff members were felicitated by FAP during the 2-day award ceremony.
In his keynote address, the chief guest Punjab School Education Board Chairman Dr Amarpal Singh said an educationist brings light into the heart and mind of every person.
“We must know the main purpose of such awards is inspire an individual to do his or her job even better. As an educationist, we try to ensure that the light of knowledge gets ignited in the heart and mind of a student. Ninety % our education system focuses on imparting knowledge but the remaining 10 % which is the main nucleus of our system goes missing sometimes. This is because the students get tested for their knowledge but not for finding out if the fire of acquiring knowledge has been ignited in them or not. So I request our teachers to focus more on this 10 %. If you teach common sense to your students, they will surely succeed in life even if they don’t score high percentage of marks. Secondly, focus should also be given on ensuring the student is happy in the school. For this teachers should communicate more with the students to get feedback on whatever is doing on inside their minds”.
Commending the award recipients for their significant contributions, Satnam Singh Sandhu, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Chancellor of Chandigarh University, said, “After Independence, the biggest challenge was how to establish the country's education structure. At that time, private educational institutions and donors came forward shoulder to shoulder with the government. Today, with nearly 50 % share, private educational institutions and educationists are making valuable contribution in the progress of the country. But till 5 years ago, private schools and their teachers were not given the due recognition as state and national awards in education sector were meant only for government sector teachers. Understanding the need to honor teachers and students of private schools, FAP has taken great initiative to give due honor and respect to private educational institutions and educationists. And within 5 years, FAP has become a national level award and today schools, principals, teachers, students and school staff from 18 States and Union Territories have become part of these awards. This is a great achievement as the private educational institutions are now getting due recognition for the big role they are playing in India’s education sector,”.
In his address, FAP President Dr Jagjit Singh Dhuri said, "In the past five years, FAP and Chandigarh University have together created a unique world record by giving a total of 11,001 awards to private schools, principals, teachers and students. Chandigarh University has become the only university that has organised this award ceremony for five consecutive years. Along with this, we have created another unique record. This year's FAP awards have not only gone to teaching staff members but also to non-teaching staff members who play key role in administration of the school. Such school staff members have also been given equal respect through these awards,”.
During the two-day award ceremony, awards were given to schools, principals teachers, students and school staff from 18 States and Union Territories including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Odhisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bihar. These Awards were given in four categories including The Best School Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Pride of School Award and The Best Student Award (Pride of India) for achievements in the domains of academic, sports, cultural and social contribution.