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Change possible with strong political will: Delhi minister Atishi at Cambridge University
Delhi's Education Minister Atishi shared the city's education model during her visit to the University of Cambridge, highlighting the government's initiatives to improve school infrastructure, engage parents and bridge the socio-economic gap. She said the transformation shows change is possible with strong political will and a desire for reform.
Delhi education minister Atishi on Sunday shared the Delhi school education model before the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge during her visit. She also listed the accomplishments of the government’s education model over the last eight years.
“The transformation in Delhi’s education system is indicative of the fact that change is certainly possible when governments possess the strong political will and a desire for reform,” she said.
During her address, Atishi spoke about the divide in the Indian education system. She said that till date, quality education hinged upon economic conditions, wherein children from affluent families would get the privilege of top-tier private schools and parents from underprivileged backgrounds were forced to send their children to government schools, where students rarely received good education and often dropped out.
“The foul stench of neglected toilets permeated the air at these government schools earlier, where dilapidated classrooms lacked basic facilities and students were forced to study in substandard environments. The transformation of Delhi’s education landscape became the top priority for the Aam Aadmi Party-led government, with a relentless commitment to improving school infrastructure and cleanliness, thus eradicating notions regarding government school attendees,” she said.
Atishi also highlighted the government’s initiative to allocate 25% of the annual budget for education — the highest in the country, she said.
“This dedicated investment allowed for significant improvements in school infrastructure, thereby altering the perception of students and instilling a sense of pride and ownership in their educational institutions. Today, Delhi government schools have pristine premises, state-of-the-art facilities, and even international-level sports infrastructure, including Olympic-sized swimming pools and astro-turfs to hone students’ athletic talents.” she added.
She further said the government is actively engaging parents in the learning process, bridging the gap between teachers, principals and families from different socio-economic backgrounds.
“The introduction of mega Parent Teacher Meetings (PTMs) allowed parents to interact directly with educators, fostering a collaborative approach to education. Their involvement as part of the school management committee proved instrumental in the implementation of various initiatives of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government across Delhi government schools,” she said.
The education minister is currently in the United Kingdom to participate in the Cambridge India Conference and engage with the leadership of Cambridge University to explore further partnership opportunities.
(BJP response here)
