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Education revolution has begun in Punjab, says AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal
AAP national convener and CM Mann inaugurate state’s first School of Eminence in Amritsar; say previous regimes had looted Punjab
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and his Delhi counterpart and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday inaugurated the state’s first ‘School of Eminence’ in Amritsar before addressing the Sikhiya Kranti Rally.’
Addressing the rally, Kejriwal said an education revolution has begun in the state. During the rally, Mann said this is part of a series of “landmark” steps for a complete overhaul of school education in the state for which a budget of ₹1,600 crore has been earmarked.
Mann said ₹358 crore will be spent for the construction of boundary walls in over 7,000 schools. Likewise, the CM added that a fund of ₹25 crore has been earmarked for benches and furniture, ₹60 crore for washrooms and ₹800 crore is being spent on 10,000 new classrooms. Both the CMs also took a tour of the school and interacted with students and teachers.
“The work for upgrading the schools is underway. Campus managers are being provided in each school along with two security guards,” Mann said.
The Punjab CM said Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses will be introduced in government schools across the state. “Nearly 1 lakh students will be imparted training in AI. Training will also be given to 10,000 teachers for AI courses, Mann said, adding that earlier Punjab was known for the Green Revolution and White Revolution, and now the state will be known for the ‘Education Revolution’.
“An education revolution has started in Punjab. The school which we have inaugurated today is not an ordinary school. I can say with challenge that any big private school will not have the facilities which are there in this school,” said Kejriwal while addressing a public rally here after the inauguration event.
Mann said that in another historic initiative transport facility has been started for government school students.
“Transport service has been started in the state for facilitating the students, especially the girls. Soon, Punjab will also be the first state in the country to have a WiFi facility in every school. Within six months all schools in the state will be equipped with internet facilities”, Mann said. Both the CMs also flagged off the first bus, which will provide transport facilities for government school students.
Apart from Mann and Kejriwal, education minister Harjot Singh Bains and Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak were present on the stage at the rally.
Kejriwal bats for ‘One Nation, One Education’ policy
Addressing the rally, Kejriwal lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led BJP government for proposing ‘One Nation, One Election’ and instead proposed “One Nation, One Education” policy.
“These days, they (BJP) have come with ‘One Nation, One Election’ but you should never let it happen. What does a leader fear, it is the election. At the time of Nagar Nigam, Panchayat, Assembly and Parliament elections, leaders come to seek votes from you. But If elections are held at one time, they will not show their face for four-and-a-half years,” the Delhi CM said. Without naming anyone, Kejriwal said, “It has been 75 years (since Independence), I don’t remember any party talking about building schools, good hospitals...even now they don’t say so, their intentions are bad”.
No word on alliance with Cong
Kejriwal preferred not to speak on the alliance with the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections under the banner of the INDIA bloc.
Training guns at the previous regimes in Punjab, Mann said that Captain Amarinder Singh during the Congress regime and the Badals during SAD regime used to say that the government was in debt. “But when the AAP is doing so much work in the health and education sector and giving free power, these parties are left surprised and wonder where we are getting money for this development, he said, adding there is no dearth of funds, but previous regimes had looted Punjab,” he said.
Protesters disrupt rally, detained
Punjab Police Covid volunteers and jobless ETT teachers tried to disrupt the rally but were detained by the police and escorted out of the venue.
