Senior AAP Leader and Former Education Minister Manish Sisodia took his ‘Shiksha Par Baat’ initiative to Kondli today. At the event, he said that only good education can alleviate poverty. Expressing his commitment towards uplifting the underprivileged of Delhi, he said that he is willing to fight and plead with anyone to ensure best in class educational facilities for the children of Delhi.
Aimed at engaging parents in shaping the future of Delhi’s education policy, the program saw Manish Sisodia gathering feedback on the Delhi Education Model, and discussing the future of government schools. Delhi Mayor Dr Shelly Oberoi, MLAs Kuldeep Kumar, Praveen Kumar and Sanjeev Jha were also present on the occasion with former Delhi Education Advisor Shailendra Sharma.
At the session held in Kondli, over 500 parents gathered to thank Manish Sisodia for his transformative work in revolutionising the Delhi Government’s schools. Under his ministership, Delhi’s public education system saw remarkable improvements, with government school results surpassing private schools for the past seven years. Parents expressed their gratitude for initiatives like modern school infrastructure, teacher training programs, and free coaching for competitive exams such as NEET, JEE, and CUET.
Ahead of the event, Manish Sisodia issued an invitation to the parents through a letter. In the letter he says, “I hope your children are studying well at school and home. Arvind Kejriwal and I are always attentive to your children’s education. When I was made the Deputy Chief Minister ten years ago, Kejriwal Ji told me one thing, “Provide an education system for every child in Delhi, even those from the poorest families, as if you are doing it for your own son and daughter.” And we have done just that. Today, Kejriwal Ji’s son is studying at a top IIT for engineering, and so is the son of a person who earns his living by ironing clothes on a street corner.”
The letter further says that to ensure that every child in Delhi receives the best education, AAP has provided children with excellent schools. “We sent teachers and principals for world-class training, maintained continuous communication with every child through Mega PTMs, and implemented new curricula in schools. We even provided free training in schools for exams like NEET, JEE, NDA, and CUET. Due to these efforts, for the past seven years, the results of Delhi government schools have consistently outperformed private schools. Every year, thousands of children are passing IIT-JEE and NEET exams and pursuing excellent studies in engineering and medicine.”
He further talks about how because of Arvind Kejriwal’s honesty, vision, and hard work, the dreams of poor children are now soaring high in Delhi. “Today, they are receiving the kind of education that was once only available to the children of those who could afford the high fees of private schools and coaching institutes.”
“Our aim is to continue this momentum, to ensure that it never stops. Unfortunately, there are still people in the country who do not want poor children to succeed. They fear that if every child receives a good education, the opportunities for their own children will diminish. We must confront this mentality and keep such people away from governance, so they cannot obstruct your children’s education,” he further says.
Further, he highlights the need to prepare for the future. “We need to consider how to improve Delhi’s education system further to ensure that your children are prepared to be the best in the world. Technology is rapidly changing the world, and in the coming years, the jobs and work we see today will not exist. It is essential to teach our children skills that will prepare them for tomorrow’s world.”
He went on to talk about his work as the Education Minister of Delhi. “I worked tirelessly for your children. I used to reach school by 7 AM, talk to children and teachers, and ask them what they needed. Where buildings were in bad condition, we built new ones. Where there were no teachers, we provided good teachers. Where facilities like labs and libraries were missing, we fixed that too. We built swimming pools and excellent sports fields in many schools. I worked with great effort, dedication, and honesty as the Education Minister.”
“Now, let’s talk about the future. I need your suggestions on what our government should do over the next five years for your children’s education. What facilities should we provide in schools, and how should we organize things? In other words:
Building good schools, achieving good results, and providing excellent teacher training will continue, but what more should we do?
How can we ensure that the changes technology brings to our lives benefit children rather than harm them?
What skills should we develop in children so that after completing their education, they can either secure the job of their choice or start their own business?
What can we do, or not do, to build self-confidence in all children, make them happy, respect their elders, uphold the Constitution, avoid discrimination, and think about the progress of their families and the country?”
“I am holding dialogues with parents of government school children across Delhi on these issues. Finally, I would like to say that the more deeply we think about these issues today, the better prepared we will be to provide your children with a brighter future tomorrow. Therefore, I urge you to attend,” the letter concludes.
The ‘Shiksha Par Baat’ initiative is designed to be a collaborative dialogue between policymakers and the community. During the sessions, Manish Sisodia will invite parents to share their views on the future of education, focusing on key areas such as integrating technology into learning, developing skills for the future job market, and fostering an inclusive, equitable education environment. The next ‘Shiksha Par Baat’ will be held in constituencies across Delhi, ensuring that every parent has a voice in shaping the policies that will guide the future of education in the city.
