“What we’ve achieved in education in Delhi is just small sapling; If crushed, it would erase any future for poor children’s education in this country,” declared Arvind Kejriwal while engaging with parents of students in Delhi’s government schools at the ‘Shiksha Par Baat, Mata-Pita Ke Saath’ event. Heaping praise on Arvind Kejriwal for the transformation, parents declared, “You’ve changed the face of government schools; congratulations in advance for your next term as Chief Minister.” Arvind Kejriwal also highlighted the growing demand in states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat for quality government schools.
In a program organized at the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Sansad Marg, Arvind Kejriwal asked the parents about their experiences with the education system in government schools and the parents shared their experiences very frankly.
Aam Aadmi Party’s National Convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, stated that when the AAP government took office in Delhi in 2015, the state of government schools was vastly different. Now, in 2024, very few children would even remember the old, broken-down schools.
He added, “Today, parents and students alike are familiar only with the newly built schools, leading them to believe that government schools have always looked like this. But back then, Delhi’s government schools operated out of tin sheds and tents. They were often filthy, with no drinking water, no toilets for girls, no boundary walls, and roofs that were on the verge of collapse. Those old schools are something today’s children haven’t had to see.”
The Former Delhi CM shared, “before entering politics, I worked in the jhuggis of Sundar Nagari and Nand Nagari in East Delhi through an NGO. For several months, I even stayed in those jhuggis myself to understand the hardships a poor person faces living in Delhi. During that time, I would also visit government schools, which were in very poor condition. Back then, I wasn’t part of any political party; I hadn’t entered politics. I was one of the few people working in an organization called Parivartan, but we had a dream that government schools should be better.”
He asserted that in this country, the children of the poor attend government schools, yet their future lacks promise. The children of the rich go to private schools, become doctors and engineers, while the children of the poor often remain rickshaw pullers or laborers. Then, fate took a turn, and one day the Anna Movement happened. The Aam Aadmi Party was formed, and people made me the CM of Delhi. It all felt like a miracle.
Arvind Kejriwal said that even after becoming CM, we didn’t expect we could fix these schools so quickly. However, he stated, “within a year or two of forming the government, Atishi and Manish Sisodia’s team worked tirelessly, and a remarkable transformation in the schools began. Today, nearly all Delhi government schools have been rebuilt with new buildings, and new classrooms are being constructed. These schools have become exceptional, offering facilities that even many top modern private schools lack. In fact, government schools like these won’t be found anywhere else in the country.”
He shared a ripple effect that has spread across the country with Delhi’s government schools improving. People in states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat now aspire for similar changes in their schools, hearing about Delhi’s progress. This nationwide demand for quality government schools is growing, and we must keep pushing it forward. However, there’s a concern that if Delhi’s government changes, these schools could slip back to their earlier state.
The AAP Supremo stated that the education revolution in Delhi we have worked for is like a small sapling. He said, “Just as a sapling needs water, fertiliser, and care to grow into a strong tree, the work we’ve done in Delhi’s education sector is still a young plant. Until we nurture this sapling into a tree, it remains vulnerable. If this tree is crushed, it will be permanently destroyed, and with it, the future of education for the children of the less fortunate in this country. There is now a hope across the nation that government schools can also be good.”
Arvind Kejriwal said that before the AAP government came to power, it was widely believed that the government couldn’t run schools and should hand them over to private entities. When I was in the jhuggis, I often heard this. Back then, the government itself claimed it couldn’t manage schools. He said, “Imagine if they had given all these schools to private players, could parents afford Rs 5,000 a month in fees per child? Most families don’t even earn that much.”
The Former Delhi CM stressed that we must protect and build on what we’ve achieved. “For the first time, a government is asking for votes based on education, promising a better future for children. No other party has ever said, ‘Vote for us, and we’ll build schools for your children.’ We’re saying it now. I’m not asking for votes for myself; I’m talking about your children’s future. The progress made in Delhi’s education sector must not stop or regress to how it was before 2015,” he reasoned.
Arvind Kejriwal said that his goal is not to return to power, but to ensure that the progress made in Delhi in areas like water, electricity, education, and healthcare continues. It should become permanent. He said, “Once that happens, I won’t be interested in politics anymore. But this work should be so solid that no future government can undo it. It must keep going and spread across the country, which is why we need your support.”
Meanwhile, Delhi CM Atishi said, “Under the guidance of Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi government schools have seen tremendous transformation over the past 10 years.” She added, “Until 2015, government schools in Delhi were in a deplorable condition. Schools were operating out of makeshift tin sheds. As soon as you entered, the first thing you noticed was the stench from the toilets. Due to a shortage of classrooms, children were forced to sit on the floor outside the toilets to study.”
The Delhi Chief Minister further explained, “Classrooms in government schools lacked tables and chairs, blackboards, and even proper lighting and windows were broken. There was no drinking water. The condition of schools in Delhi was the same as that of government schools today in states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.”
CM Atishi remarked, “Today, Delhi government schools are world-class. This transformation happened because, in 2015, the people of Delhi elected an honest and responsible leader like Arvind Kejriwal as their Chief Minister.”
She noted, “Under Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership in 2015, Delhi became the first state in the country to double its education budget and allocate nearly a quarter of its total budget to education, investing in the future of Delhi’s children. For the past 10 years, Delhi has remained the only state to allocate the largest portion of its budget to education and the future of its children.”
CM Atishi shared, “From 1947 to 2015, Delhi government schools had only 24,000 classrooms, but in just 10 years, Arvind Kejriwal added 22,400 new classrooms in Delhi government schools.”
CM Atishi stated, “Arvind Kejriwal invested the taxpayers’ money back into the public, building a future for children. That’s why Delhi government schools are exceptional today. Our students are qualifying for IIT and medical exams, gaining admission to top institutions in the country, and even going abroad.”
She concluded, “This education revolution will continue. To ensure this, Delhiites must once again elect leaders who prioritize education and make Arvind Kejriwal their Chief Minister for a fourth term. Because if they don’t, no one else will work on their children’s education, and Delhi’s government schools will end up like those in the rest of the country.”
Parents Share Their Experiences with Arvind Kejriwal
I Never Knew My Child Would Compete in State-Level Chess: Jai Singh Kushwaha
Jai Singh Kushwaha, a parent who attended the Parents’ Meet, shared, “My child got admitted to Sarvodaya School in Jor Bagh, where he played chess for the first time. I never imagined he would make it to the state level. The school teachers are amazing—they even took him to the chess tournament in their own car.”
Clean and Hygienic Schools Now
Another parent expressed satisfaction, saying, “Our children now sit at clean desks in government schools. The schools are well-maintained, and the drinking water is clean. This makes the children happy, and they have no complaints. They now insist on going to school.”
Delhi Government Schools’ Furniture Rivals Prestigious Private Schools
One parent remarked, “The furniture at the girls’ school on Pandara Road is so impressive. Whether it’s DPS or any other institution, they won’t find a school like this in all of Delhi. The Delhi government has made it the number one school.”
In UP Schools, Facilities are Zero Compared to Delhi
Speaking about schools in Uttar Pradesh, a parent shared, “In UP schools, teachers sit comfortably on two chairs and tell the students, ’I’ve written on the blackboard, memorize it.’ The facilities available in Delhi’s schools are non-existent in UP schools. Their condition is still the same as before.”
Students in UP Schools Are Charged Fees for Board Exams
Another parent discussed the poor condition of UP’s government schools, saying, “In UP government schools, the situation is terrible. They charge fees for the 10th and 12th board exams, and only then are students allowed to take the exams.”
Delhi’s Schools Are Unmatched by Other States’ Government Schools
One parent commented, “My younger brother studies at Sarvodaya School in Kidwai Nagar, which has facilities far better than those in other states. The schools in other states can’t be compared to Delhi’s government schools. The facilities here have greatly improved. A relative visiting from Jharkhand had heard a lot about Delhi’s schools. When we took him to see them, he was amazed that a government school could be this good.”
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