E-Paper
Ready for debate with Sisodia on govt schools: Pargat
Pargat asks Sisodia to compare 250 best schools; now, the Delhi deputy CM has said OK to this on Twitter and added that he was even ready for a debate with the media in attendance
Jalandhar Punjab school education minister Pargat Singh on Friday welcomed Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s suggestion to compare the state’s government schools with those in Delhi. “I challenge Sisodia to take 250 schools each of Punjab and Delhi, instead of 10, and compare these on the NPGI (National Performance Grading Index) and also debate on school infrastructure and number of smart classrooms. We will also study development of schools in rural and border areas of the state,” Pargat, who addressed a press conference on the issue on Friday, said.
A former Olympian, Pargat categorically added that as a general principle, Punjab’s 19,377 schools could not be compared with just 2,767 schools in Delhi. “Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal must not indulge in cheap publicity and must raise questions of issue-based politics,” he said, adding, “The challenges and complexities of running a full-fledged state like Punjab with far-flung schools were a different challenge than managing schools in compact municipality like Delhi. We have seven-time more schools.”
“The department has embarked on the recruitment of nearly 20,000 teachers in schools and colleges, which is expected to be completed by next month. A platform of top educationists from the state has been formed to improve employability,” he added. The minister also claimed that the student-teacher ratio in Punjab was 25, with Delhi at 33. “Punjab has maintained zero percent dropout rate up to upper primary level,” Pargat claimed.
SISODIA RESPONDS: SET DATE
AND TIME FOR A SCHOOL TOUR
Responding to Pargat, Sisodia offered to send a list of 250 Delhi schools and also sought a list of 250 government schools from him. Sisodia has also asked Pargat to set a date and time of his choice for a tour of the best schools listed in Delhi and Punjab, and a debate on education system and reforms in the presence of the media.
“Punjab’s school education minister has accepted my challenge for a debate on education reforms in 250 schools in Delhi and Punjab. I am waiting for the list of the best 250 schools in Punjab, which have improved in the last 5 years,” he tweeted. Sisodia added that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was visiting Mohali on November 27, where he would meet the protesting teachers. “Who better to tell about improvements made in schools than teachers teaching there?” he tweeted.
