‘Why are kids sweeping classrooms?’ Dipke confronts teachers at Maharashtra school
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke on Tuesday took strong exception to students allegedly being asked to sweep their classroom at a government school in a village in the district.
Dipke, whose party launched the 'School Thik Karo' (improve government schools) campaign last week, visited Dhegaj village in his native district where he learnt that students sweep their classroom themselves.
''This is completely wrong....When there is cleaning staff, why are the kids sweeping classrooms?" he was seen asking the teachers in a video.
The teachers claimed that they did not ask the children to do it.
Dipke, however, argued that students would not sweep a classroom on their own.
"The villagers should also ensure that such things do not happen again," he added.
During the interaction, students also presented their demands. ''We want notebooks, pens and shoes," said one student.
Dipke assured that these things would be provided. "We will also install a tubelight, new blackboard in the classroom," he said.
Visiting another government school at Siddheshwar village in the district, he claimed that the students there do not get clean water. The school has a water filter but it has remained unused for three years, he said.
"Students here are drinking filthy water....The tin shed of the school leaks when it rains. Students say that they sit close to each other when it rains and the teacher says that they are shifted to another classroom," Dipke said.
The villagers spent Rs 10 to 12 lakh out of their own pockets to build the school compound and some other facilities, he said. "If villagers have to do this, why do we have to elect a government? Why do we need elections? Villagers can manage by themselves," he said.
(Inputs from PTI)
