Cars in classes, filthy school; Sisodia acts tough

Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday suspended two education department officers and also ordered the sack of a principal after finding the school in "horrific condition" during a surprise visit.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, inspected the Government Boys Senior Secondary School in Alipur in northwest Delhi, and acted tough "in a clear message for all" when he found the school in a "horrific condition".

According to an official statement, Sisodia found the school in a filthy condition, teachers' cars parked in empty classrooms and children stuffed into a hall.

Sisodia also came to know that students have never entered the chemistry laboratory, as lab assistant Rambeer Singh Dahiya never came to the school.

Scolding the principal, Sisodia said: "Rooms are closed and a few are being used as parking space. The school is filthy and children are sitting in broken down rooms or in a hall. Is this how a principal runs a school?"

Sisodia suspended Deputy Director Education (Northwest) Neena Kumar as she had not visited the school in the last five years.

He also suspended education officer K.K. Sorte and instructed the concerned authorities to terminate the services of principal Asharam.

He also ordered compulsory retirement of the lab assistant.

"Let this be a clear message for all. The government will not tolerate any official who puts the future of our children at stake," Sisodia said.