Declining School Admissions and Rising Pollution Under AAP: Ajay Maken
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Synopsis
Ajay Maken criticizes the AAP government for declining school admissions and rising pollution levels in Delhi, asserting their failed education and transport policies. He urges voters to revert to the Congress model of development in the upcoming elections.
Key Takeaways
- Decline in government school admissions despite population growth.
- Increased private school enrollments indicating dissatisfaction with public education.
- Link between poor public transport and rising pollution levels.
- Critique of the AAP's education model and dual role of Manish Sisodia.
- Call for a return to Congress's development strategies.
New Delhi, Feb 2 (NationPress) A significant decrease in admissions to government schools, coupled with a shortage of public transport buses, highlights the failures of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's education and transport initiatives in Delhi, as stated by former Union Minister and AICC Treasurer Ajay Maken on Sunday.
While addressing the media, Maken criticized the Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi administrations for misleading the citizens of Delhi by pledging world-class education and transportation services, yet failing to fulfill these promises.
The Congress leader pointed out that despite a sharp increase in Delhi's population, the admissions to government schools have declined under the Kejriwal government, with fewer students successfully passing out of Class XI.
Maken remarked that Delhi’s AAP government uniquely combines the roles of Education and Excise Minister in one individual—Manish Sisodia—who concealed the liquor scam behind a facade of education reform.
He emphasized that the residents of Delhi have become aware of Kejriwal's deceptive models and are committed to supporting the Congress party in the upcoming Assembly elections on February 5, aiming to restore the development framework established by the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government.
The AICC Treasurer highlighted that during the Congress administration in 2008-09, a total of 75,974 students passed the Class 12 Board exams, increasing to 147,420 by the time Congress left office in 2013-14.
In contrast, under the AAP regime starting in 2015-16, the number of students passing the Class 12 Board exams dropped to 116,792, further declining to 109,098 in 2019-20.
Additionally, during Congress's tenure in 2013-14, 166,257 students appeared for the Class 12 Board exams, whereas under the AAP in 2023-24, this number decreased to 15,1429, failing to rise in line with the population growth of the Capital.
Maken noted that students from government schools either dropped out or transferred to private institutions for enhanced educational quality.
He stated that in 2013-14, there were 17.75 lakh students enrolled in government schools compared to 13.57 lakh in private schools. However, by 2018-19, private school enrollments surged to 16.61 lakh, while government school numbers fell to 16.47 lakh, showcasing the so-called Kejriwal education model.
The senior Congress figure also attributed the rising air pollution in Delhi to the AAP government.
Maken explained that the surge in vehicles is due to the city's inadequate public transport system, rather than stubble burning by farmers.
He accused Kejriwal of blaming farmers for his administration's inefficacy in managing air quality, citing data from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), which indicated that vehicular emissions rose from 28 percent in 2016 to 47 percent of the overall PM2.5 pollution in the Capital.
According to TERI/PRS Legislative Research, the average contributions to PM2.5 levels in Delhi in 2018 were: Industry: 30 percent in winter and 22 percent in summer; transport: 28 percent; dust: 17 percent (including soil, road, and construction); and stubble burning: 4 to 7 percent.
AICC National spokesperson Abhay Dubey and spokesperson Jyoti Singh were also present.
