New look
The spanking new look includes murals on the school walls depicting educational messages. Education department officials said paintings made by school students as well as the arts teachers of different government schools have already been bought and will be placed soon. The department has also tied up with the creator of Rock Garden, Nek Chand, for helping students draw the murals.

Fancy dustbins
Immovable dustbins, each worth Rs 4,000, have been arranged for every government school. The selection of the dustbins took Director Public Instruction (Schools) S K Setia around two months.

Infrastructure
Furniture in government schools will be given a full overhaul. As in lecture halls, low chairs will be placed in the front and the tallest ones at the back to provide students a clear look of the blackboard. An order of Rs 2 crore for furniture has already been placed with the Burail Jail.

New uniforms
Doing away with the usual white-coloured shirts as the uniform, the department has introduced blue and white striped shirts. Besides providing free uniforms to students, the department also plans to give them free bags and rubber shoes.

Gyms
Two schools have been identified where the gyms would be set up. The facility would most likely be open to outsiders as well at a nominal fee.
Special trainers will be employed at the gyms.

Smart Schools
Four schools — Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, 33, 35 and 19 — have been identified for implementing the concept of Smart Schools. The department also plans to introduce advanced methods of teaching, including educational CDs and LCD screens as teaching aids.

Vocational courses
The department has started many vocational courses including training in mobile repair, tailoring and radio jockeying at a nominal fee for students. From the new academic session, these courses are expected to start in full swing.