AAP govt leading the way in education reforms: Kejriwal

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 13

While laying the foundation stone for the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) on Baburam School campus in Shahdara, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said, “Delhi is giving direction to the country on education reforms. The entire country is learning from Delhi today. But this is just the beginning of our journey. Around 16 lakh children study in Delhi government schools and most of them are from underprivileged backgrounds. They were neglected earlier, but now have a secure future. No country in the world can develop where the children are deprived of high quality education.” 

After the restructuring of the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) and DIET last year, this is the first major expansion of DIET institutions. The DIET in Shahdara would be the 10th such institute in the city for teacher education and training.

Kejriwal appreciated the education reforms of Delhi and applauded Education Minister Manish Sisodia, officials of the education department, teachers and principals for putting Delhi on the world map for its high quality government school education system.

He said, “Four and a half years ago, the city’s social infrastructure was crumbling. After coming to power, we started with the basics. First we improved and expanded school buildings, enhanced security, upgraded basic infrastructure like toilets and water supply. Our focus was on making the environment conducive for learning. We doubled the education budget in our first budget itself,” said the Chief Minister.

“The bigger challenge was to motivate and equip our teachers and principals to provide high quality education. Good buildings are of no use if teaching and learning is not up to the mark,” said Kejriwal.

He said teacher trainings had been started in Delhi on a large scale. “Under the programme, both teachers and principals were being sent abroad for advanced training. Earlier, only politicians and high-rank officials used to travel abroad, but for the first time real stakeholders are being sent abroad for training. This is the reason that the performance of Delhi government schools has improved to 94 per cent,” said Kejriwal.

Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia, who was also present there, said, “The government has opened a way for new campuses of state universities like Delhi Technical University and Ambedkar University, etc. Thirteen new undergraduate colleges have been opened in the past four and a half years. The recently laid DIET will be college number 14,” he said.

Sisodia said with the new DIET, two new centres for teacher training would be opened — one at Shahdara and another at the Defence Colony.