Amid the ongoing tussle between the Delhi Government and the Lieutenant-Governor (L-G), Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday alleged that the L-G has barred school teachers from travelling to Finland for their training.
Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, claimed that the AAP Government had accepted the proposal for training and sent it to L-G VK Saxena who "rejected" it saying the training can be done in the country itself.
Taking the matter to Twitter, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal commented, “We have been sending Delhi government school teachers abroad for training, it has contributed greatly to Delhi Education Revolution; it is not right to stop them from going for training abroad.”“You stopped me from going abroad, no problem. But let the teachers go to Finland for training? Don't stop them?” Delhi CM further tweeted. Sisodia said that the LG has prohibited Delhi government school teachers to travel to Finland for training. “The government had accepted the proposal for training of 30 teachers and sent it to the LG. He said that the training can be done in the country itself," he said.
“Delhi's education model has made India proud all over the world. Instead of helping to make that education model more glorious, the LG is focused on stopping the unique initiatives, it is very shameful,” claimed Sisodia.
“After coming into power, the Delhi government sent its teachers for training to leading countries and institutions that are best in the field of education such as Singapore, Finland, Oxford Cambridge and IIMs. This initiative was taken to provide global exposure to the teachers of the world's education models and adopt them in their schools,” Deputy CM said. “Due to this international training, the confidence of teachers and school leaders has increased, and they now look at education from a global perspective,” he said.
“It is noteworthy that the file of in-principle consent and administrative approval was received by the LG office on October 25, 2022. Saxena returned the file to the Chief Secretary on November 10, 2022 seeking three clarifications/objections.
SCERT Delhi clarified those points and re-submitted the file to LG office on December 14, 2022. After this LG asks for two more clarifications and returns the file to CM on January 9, 2023,” Sisodia claimed. “It is more than evident that the L-G is now trying to stop the key initiatives being undertaken by the Delhi government in the field of education,” he alleged.
Responding to the allegation, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor claimed this as move to divert the attention of the people of the national capital from ‘advertisement scam’ conducted by them.
“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should understand that the people of Delhi will no longer be misled and to improve the education system of the capital, just training of some teachers in Finland is not important, but appointment of headmasters and teachers in all the schools is needed. Moreover Science and Commerce courses need to be taught in all schools,” Kapoor added.