Punjab: AAP’s Sikhya model failed in edu sector: Balbir Sidhu

Sidhu said that the AAP administration’s focus on advertisements and posters had not translated into tangible improvements in the education system

Senior Congress leader and former Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Thursday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government in Punjab, accusing it of “hollow governance” and failed promises in the education sector.

Congress leader Balbir Singh Sidhu (HT File)

Sidhu claimed that the much-hyped Sikhya model promoted by the AAP government was far from reality on the ground.

The AAP administration’s focus on advertisements and posters had not translated into tangible improvements in the education system, Sidhu said.

He pointed to the work done during his tenure, stating, “We constructed six state-of-the-art classrooms and purchased furniture worth ₹1 lakh, with ₹35 lakh allocated for upgrades in multiple schools across Mohali,” Sidhu said.

“Today, the AAP government is inaugurating toilet repairs and calling it an education revolution,” Sidhu added.

The Congress leader further criticised the AAP government for failing to upgrade schools despite its claims, highlighting teacher shortages and poor infrastructure that persist in many schools. “The visible improvements are a result of the work done by previous governments, not AAP,” Sidhu said.