Punjab Assembly: AAP says need to learn from Delhi education model

Aam Aadmi Party legislators on Thursday said there was a need to learn from the education system in Delhi in order to raise teaching standards in Punjab's government schools.

Participating in a discussion on non-official resolution during the Budget session of the Punjab Assembly, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Baljinder Kaur sought formation of a committee of legislators to visit Delhi in order to learn from the education system of the Kejriwal-led government in the national capital.

The resolution pertained to preparation of a master plan to build sufficient and safe buildings for government primary and elementary schools in the state and sanction special funds for this purpose and also rope in interested NRIs in this social project.

Kaur claimed that the education sector in Punjab was in the "doldrums".

"Punjab spends just 10 per cent of the budget on education whereas in Delhi, 26 per cent of the budget is spent on education. When the state has just 10 per cent budget for education, then how can one expect good result," asked Kaur.

"There can be only one master plan for improving education in Punjab. A committee of members can be formed and it should visit Delhi and see government schools there. It will also be better to meet Delhi education minister there and learn how students in government schools there were performing better," the Talwandi Sabo MLA said.

The AAP is in power in Delhi.

Earlier, AAP legislator Aman Arora also hailed the Delhi model of education and said against the national average of 16 per cent of the budget spent on education, 26 per cent is spent in Delhi.

He claimed that private schools were operating like "shops" in Punjab and charging exorbitant fee from parents.

"We need to be serious about education in Punjab," said Arora.

Another AAP member Budh Ram said the strength of school students in government schools in Punjab has dropped from 24.92 lakh to 23.29 lakh.

Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra, while taking on the AAP members, said the spending on advertisements by the Delhi government was to the tune of Rs 650 crore whereas Punjab spends just Rs 20 crore on ads.

"Political leaders should always praise the state government for doing good things for the state rather than criticising it all the time," said Nagra.

"We are giving power subsidy of Rs 9,500 crore where as it was just Rs 2,220 crore in Delhi.

"They (AAP MLAs) are giving example of Delhi here. Our state is an agricultural state while Delhi is a business state. There is a difference between Delhi and Punjab," he said.

Another Congress MLA Harpartap Singh Ajnala asked for giving border allowance to teachers working in border areas of the state to improve education standards.