AAP promises to end inspector-raj in schools if voted to power

NEW DELHI: Advocating more autonomy to schools, Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal today said that his party will abolish the 'inspector-raj' in education system if voted to power in Delhi.

"The teachers in government schools have been reduced to clerks. They have to make reports asked by education department, they are posted on election duties and much more.

"The principals do not have any autonomy, the inspector-raj in the education system needs to be abolished," Kejriwal said in his address at ' InspirED education conference' at St Stephen's College.

Asserting that education and health are the key agendas of AAP for the upcoming polls in Delhi, Kejriwal said his party has an outline ready for next five years, if they are voted to power.

"If we form the government, we plan to put an end to the 'inspector-raj' in education system. Principals will be given autonomy and their accountability will increase too. The focus of investments will be on training of teachers and money will not be a constraint," he said.

The former Delhi Chief Minister said certain vested interests have contributed to degradation of education level in government schools.

"Rs 48,500 crore black money is given every year as donation in private schools in India. Many private schools are owned by politicians and powerful people. These vested interests have led to degradation of level of education in government schools," he alleged.

Kejriwal said that the practice of contractual appointments of teachers needs to be stopped too.

"There is a huge difference between the kind of education offered in government schools and private schools. We are not against private schools but we are committed to improving the working conditions of teachers. We are short of teachers then why hire them on contractual basis?," he said.

"We will improve the education level in government schools to a level that well-off people will voluntarily send their students to study there rather than private schools," he added.

Talking about the 20 new colleges in Delhi promised by AAP, Kejriwal said, "Those colleges will focus more on vocational training and entrepreneurship skills. We want to produce more job givers rather than job seekers when they pass out."

The AAP leader also said that they are working with certain financial experts to draft a plan according to which the students will not need to produce a guarantor or any property in lieu of educational loan.

Meanwhile, AAP leader Manish Sisodia criticised the Delhi Government's decision to move Supreme Court on issue of nursery admissions in the city as a 'delayed action' and said parents are suffering because of laxity on govt's part.

"The decision that has been taken now to move Supreme Court should have been taken earlier if it could not be settled at government's end. Parents are suffering because of their lethargic attitude," he told reporters here.

"If the government would have acted in a strict manner earlier, this situation could have been avoided. Why should such instances arise that issues are being settled in court, the government should settle them well in advance," the former Delhi education minister said.

Sisodia's comments came in wake of Delhi government's Directorate of Education deciding to move to the Supreme Court for appealing against the High Court's verdict on nursery admissions in city schools.

A notice was sent this week to Action Committee for Unaided Recognised Private Schools as per which the private schools were asked not to initiate or go ahead with the admission process for the academic session 2015-16 till Supreme Court's verdict on the same is out.