Govt school challenge: Education ministers of Delhi and Punjab spar

Punjab Education Minister Pargat Singh has welcomed Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s suggestion to compare the state’s government schools with those in Delhi. 

“I challenge Sisodia to take 250 schools each of Punjab and Delhi, instead of 10, and compare these on the NPGI [National Performance Grading Index] and also debate on school infrastructure and number of smart classrooms. We will also study development of schools in rural and border areas of the state,” Singh said on Friday.

Singh said Punjab’s 19,377 schools could not be compared with just 2,767 schools in Delhi and accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of “cheap publicity”.

“Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal must not indulge in cheap publicity and must raise questions of issue-based politics,” he said.“The challenges and complexities of running a full-fledged state like Punjab with far-flung schools offer a different challenge than managing schools in compact municipality like Delhi. We have seven-time more schools.”

Sisodia later offered to send a list of 250 Delhi schools to Pargat and also sought a list of 250 government schools from him. He also asked Pargat to set a date and time of his choice for a tour of the best schools listed in Delhi and Punjab, and a debate on education system and reforms.

“Punjab’s school education minister has accepted my challenge for a debate on education reforms in 250 schools in Delhi and Punjab. I am waiting for the list of the best 250 schools in Punjab, which have improved in the last 5 years,” he tweeted.