The Punjab government is setting up a secondary school within five km radius of every locality as part of its efforts to implement Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RSMA), state education minister Upinderjit Kaur said here today.

Besides, the education department has also upgraded 70 middle schools to secondary schools in areas where educational facilities are lacking with a view to making quality education available, accessible and affordable to all young persons in the age group of 14-18 years under the scheme, she said.

"This project is for the bright future and careers of the children visualising attainment of 75 per cent Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) by 2011-12 and 100 per cent GER by 2016-17 ensuring universal access of the secondary education by 2017 and universal retention by 2020," she said.

For RMSA implementation, the state government would spend rs 62.88 crore to provide inputs in terms of additional classrooms, teachers and other facilities in the upgraded schools to meet the challenges, the minister said.