Series of reforms and development by AAP in its three years in power have given outstanding results already. The model needs replication on a national level – Quality education is a weapon in India’s bid to alleviate poverty.
Schools which are funded and controlled by government have historically been at sub-par levels in India. From lack of toilets and drinking water to contaminated mid-day meals, Government schools have always made headlines for the wrong reasons.
Delhi government has stressed on the welfare vision which reduces the disparity in cultural capital between the have-nots and haves.
So, with that murky a history, the exploits of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government’s educational transformation of Delhi’s public schools is no ordinary feat. India isn’t known for revolutionary changes in the educational ecosystem. But Delhi government has stressed on the welfare vision which reduces the disparity in cultural capital between the have-nots and haves.
The sheer gravity of emphasis from the Government comes from looking at the allocations of funds towards education. In 2018-19, the AAP government allotted an unprecedented 26% of the mammoth Rs. 53,000 crore total budget to imparting quality education.
AAP government allotted an unprecedented 26% of the mammoth Rs. 53,000 crore total budget to imparting quality education.
This amounts to 13,997 crore, which compared to the Rs 94,854 crore allotted by the central government to education sector of the entire country in Union Budget 2019, is a substantial infusion. Their work in the education sector can be seen as their single biggest achievement in the three years of governance.
Only solution to poverty is high-quality education
The head of Delhi Government’s Directorate of Education reads, “Education holds the key to economic growth, social transformation, modernization and national integration.” Delhi has one of the biggest numbers in private, state-of-the-art, international standard schools for the elite, sub-elite and middle class.
“Education holds the key to economic growth, social transformation, modernization and national integration.”
Delhi Government’s Directorate of Education website
These schools regularly stress on the quality of education, and evolve curriculum and facilities to that end. Such innovation is missing from public schools, not just in the capital but the entire country.
The Education Minister traveled to Finland in Europe, to study about their education systems, which is widely acclaimed as one of the best in the world. Sisodia met senior officials of their Education Ministry, educators, principals, teachers, students and others in Finland.
Last year, the Delhi government sent 200 teachers to Singapore for a teacher-training programme. Education minister Manish Sisodia can be seen paying surprise visits to government schools.
Innovative measures to evolve the ecosystem
Delhi government has kickstarted a number of initiatives in the last 3 years like Chunauti 2018, Reading campaign and Pragati series of study materials, Happiness Curriculum, Mission Buniyaad, Flipped Classrooms, Think Stations, Go MAD (Make a Difference) project and CAL (Computer Aided Learning) labs.
One of its initiatives the School Management Committees (SMCs) which constitute of teachers as well as parents won plaudits from Harvard University. Harvard is conducting a research on the model after asking Delhi government’s permission.
Harvard University is conducting a study on the model of one of Delhi government’s educational initiatives called School Management Committees (SMCs).
The outcome of these campaigns was that 59,897 students took the Patrachar Exam of CBSE under the Modified Patrachar scheme as compared to 3500 students in previous year reducing the number of dropouts. PTM and summer camps were finally started for government schools. We saw Dalai Lama launching ‘happiness curriculum’ which includes meditation, moral values and mental exercises for students.
Tackling infra disadvantage and negligence
Infrastructure and negligence were the two main reasons for this poor condition of Delhi’s government schools. AAP has tackled these issues with various developments and policies. Construction of libraries, labs, school buildings and incubation centres were the stepping stones towards a better environment there.
Sports complex, synthetic athletics tracks, hockey turf, swimming pools and indoor games halls are being developed to encourage students to adopt sports in their school time and participate at the school level.
Delhi government has its own version of ‘Skill India’ campaign named “HUNAR” which reaches out to 10,000 students per year.
Delhi government has its own version of ‘Skill India’ campaign named “HUNAR” which is a world class skill centre in Jonapur providing courses in the field of Retail services, Hospitality, Finance and Accounts and Information Technology to train 10,000 students per year.
AAP government has also proposed the Centre for Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED), specifically in slum clusters and unauthorized colonies, to provide play-based learning for 3-6-year-old children.
Improving the standards of imparting education
To improve the standards and working of teachers and school management, this government has brought in programs like public model of teacher education to strengthen the teaching mechanism. Teachers can now build their capacity online through a mobile app called Chalk Lit for more student-centric approach.
To strengthen the education and functioning of Children with Special Needs (CWSN), Special Education Teachers (SETs) were supported to learn and develop teaching-learning materials by hands-on training. Through the SMC app, schools, communities, and parents were connected directly with decision makers through a simple mobile application. There is a development programme even for principals which also involves educational trips to IIMs, Cambridge and Finland.
Results speak volumes about AAP’s efforts
The Class 12 results have shown consistent improvement since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power in 2015. 2019’s result was considered the best in the past 21 years by Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia. This year the pass percentage was 94.24.
Delhi government school board examination reults in 2019 is the best in the past 21 years with pass percentage of 94.24%.
The percentage never crossed the 90 per cent mark till the last year. In 2016, the pass percentage was 85.9 per cent, while in 2017 it was 88.2 per cent. The percentage never crossed the 90 per cent mark till the last year.
A total of 88.11 per cent students passed the Class 12 exam in 2015 and 88.67 per cent in 2014. In 2013, it was 88.65 per cent, while in 2012 it was 87.72 per cent. In 2010, the pass percentage was 88.87 per cent, and in 2009, it was 87.15 per cent.
Making public school students future-ready
Now AAP government has taken the concept of primary education to a new goal – future-readying students for their careers. To this cause, it has launched an initiative called the Entrepreneurship Curriculum, aimed at making Class 9 to 12 students future ready.
AAP Government has launched an initiative called the Entrepreneurship Curriculum, aimed at making Class 9 to 12 students future ready.
As per the Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia, “Entrepreneurship does not necessarily mean business, we plan to develop life skills, behavioural skills and to impart proper etiquettes into the minds of children in order to decondition them and make them future ready.”
A model for the entire country
As per Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, “If every child from a deprived background gets good education, then within one generation, every family can pull itself out of poverty. This is the change that our nation needs because only an educated nation can become a developed nation.”
AAP’s model is an example of effective governance. It should be set as a role mode and be studied by rest of the country. State governments should adopt the innovative schemes and even enhance them towards improving the quality of education. Education is no doubt the real empowering tool for millions in the country to shed the shackles of poverty and climb up the economic ladder.
