AAP's foray into politics successful as students from poor families getting better education: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the Aam Aadmi Party’s foray into politics could be termed as ”successful” since under its rule students from economically weaker backgrounds are getting better education than their counterparts in private schools.

He was speaking after inaugurating Dr B R Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence in west Delhi’s Janakpuri.

Hailing the infrastructure provided by these Schools of Specialised Excellence (SoSE), Kejriwal said those studying in these schools are getting better education than what he or his children have received.

”The transformation of government schools is becoming a benchmark for the nation. This school in Janakpuri will focus on engineering, medicine, humanities and 21st-century skills like IT and artificial intelligence. Those interested in these fields can seek admission into this school,” he said.

Built on a total plot area of 8,600 sq metres, this school building has a total of 112 equivalent classrooms, which comprises 45 classrooms, eight labs, one library, one multipurpose hall, 13 officer and staff rooms, 26 toilets, five staircases and two lifts.

The Schools of Specialised Excellence provide specialised education in five areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Humanities; Performing and Visual Arts; high-end 21st century skills, and Armed Forces Preparatory School.

The chief minister said it is difficult to get admission into these schools and claimed that even IITs and medical colleges do not get as many applications as these schools.

”There are 4,400 seats in these schools and we have received 96,000 applications,” he said.

He further said the Delhi government schools are better than private schools in terms of infrastructure as well.

”There was a time when the state-run schools were in a bad shape. There were no teachers and parents would desist from sending their wards into such institutes,” he said.

”But today I can challenge that even private school buildings are not as magnificent as those of government schools,” he said.

Recalling his time as a student, Kejriwal said he studied in one of the best private schools in Haryana’s Hisar.

”My school is nothing in front of this (specialised) school. My children have studied in Delhi Public School (DPS) Noida and I can say that this government school is better. Our government is giving better education to children from economically weaker families than what my children and I have received. Our foray into politics is therefore successful,” he said.

The city government plans to dedicate five school buildings for 13 Dr. B R Ambedkar Schools of Specialised Excellence in 2022-23, Delhi government officials said. This would be in addition to 31 SoSEs already functional enrolling about 5,500 students.

With this, in 2022-23 there would be 44 Schools of Specialised Excellence in 36 buildings with nearly 10,000 students. This school is one school building offering two specialisations – Humanities and High-end 21st Century skills.

This year, 120 students each will get admitted in class 9 of Humanities and High-end 21st Century skills respectively of DESU Colony school. At its peak, there would be nearly 1,000 students in this school.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia informed that the government has inaugurated a school as well as established a temple of Goddess Saraswati here, ”We had to face a lot of struggles in making this school. Here the land of the school was freed from the land mafia and it was ensured that the school would be built here for children of the area,” Sisodia said.

”CM Arvind Kejriwal has a dream that we have to make our country No.1 and its way goes via our schools. We can make the country No.1 only through schools. Other politicians might have different interests but CM Kejriwal’s politics is to make the country No.1 by making the education system brilliant,” he added