Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will address the students at Oxford University and London School of Economics in June, she announced while inaugurating a new state run English medium school this afternoon.
“I have accepted the invitation to go to Oxford and LSE in June to address the students,” she said.
Miss Banerjee inaugurated the newly-renovated Modern School in south Kolkata. The medium of instruction in the morning section will be in Bengali while the day section will be English medium.
Miss Banerjee used to teach in the school for three years during her student days and used to get a monthly salary of Rs 60.
State education minister Bratya Basu, mayor Firhad Hakim and state agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay were present at the function. Mala Roy, Trinamul MP and Mr BP Gopalika, chief secretary were present at the meeting.
Miss Banerjee said Rs five crore had been spent to set up the new five-storey building. There are 19 rooms of which 12 are classrooms. There is a classroom for e-learning, science laboratory and computer laboratory.
Criticizing the Left Front, she said, “Because of their faulty policy many of our students cannot make drafts in English and we have to give them special coaching when they join jobs. Here, the students will get the best facilities. Nine teachers have been appointed.” She asked Mr Hakim to set up a playground with a multi-gym facility in front of the school. “We are proud of our students who are doing well in different universities in the United Kingdom and USA,” she maintained.
Without naming the BJP, she said, “It is our freedom to select our food, dress and religion. But now there are people who are trying to intervene in our food habits, dress and religion. I often say religion in private but festivals are for all.”
Miss Banerjee spoke about how as a teacher of the school, she used to come daily after attending her morning college. “I was the youngest teacher and the students loved me as I gave them high marks. I am happy that some of them have come to attend the function today.”
Miss Banerjee virtually laid the foundation of the Institute of Neurosciences in Rajarhat. It will be an 800-bed hospital and the medical college will have 150 seats. She thanked Dr R P Sengupta for taking up this venture.
She virtually inaugurated a bridge on Bagjola canal. Saugata Roy, Trinamul MP and Sujit Bose, state minister for fire and emergency services attended the meeting.
She also inaugurated 64 flats under the Banglar Bari scheme at Chetla in south Kolkata.