Highlighting the “abysmal” state of Punjab’s government schools, the Aam Aadmi Party’s national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday promised to “completely revolutionize schools” and change the face of government education in Punjab, “just like Delhi”.
“We will transform the education system, build world class schools...AAP will uplift all the students of the underprivileged and SC communities, and help them get the life they desire,” said Kejriwal in a video message, issued by him on Sunday. At the same time, he sought people’s support to make him fulfill this promise. In the video message addressing the Punjab Government’s school teachers, students, and their parents, Kejriwal said that the condition of Punjab Government’s schools is distressing, and “it pains me to see teachers and children suffer because of an incompetent government”.
“The future of over 24 lakh students from underprivileged and SC communities is in the dark because the Punjab Government doesn't want them to excel...The teachers of Punjab are very good but they have been harassed to such an extent that they have lost all hope in the system,” he said.
Kejriwal talked about the “fragility” of Punjab’s education system and the State Government's “false claims” regarding it while expressing a deep concern for the future of the children. “The condition of education and government schools is extremely poor in Punjab. There’s no sign of any proper education taking place in Punjab’s government schools. The teachers in Punjab are great, they’re talented, but they are extremely distressed with the state of affairs. 24 lakh students belonging to poor, Dalit, and SC communities go to these government schools to seek education. Imagine what the future of these 24 lakh children will look like,” he said.
Pointing that the condition of Delhi’s government schools also used to be “extremely poor”, Kejriwal claimed that the AAP led Delhi Government worked very hard to transform them, and turned them into splendid education institutes. “Channi Sahab (addressing Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi) says that Punjab’s schools are number 1 in the entire country, that there is no need to fix them. Does anyone actually think that the conditions of schools in Punjab can be deemed number 1 in the entire country?” said Kejriwal.
Concluding, Kejriwal said that in the 75 years since India’s independence, “party after party has ensured to keep government schools in their poor condition and not done anything to improve them. They did this in order to keep children of the poor and SC children at a back foot, so that they do not progress”.
“I do not want any power, or indulge in meaningless politics. All I care about is the future of the students in Punjab and want to make sure it doesn’t become bleak. We will fix all the government schools, make them fully functional and give these students a bright future,” declared AAP supremo adding, “All we need is your support”.