Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday hit back at his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal after the latter took a potshot at the BJP-led state government over the closure of 34 schools in the northeastern state due to poor performance.
It was reported on Wednesday that the Assam government has decided to close 34 state-run schools after none of their students cleared this year’s Class 10 board exams.
Reacting to this, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi, “Closing schools is not the solution. We need to open many new schools all over the country. Instead of closing schools, improve them and make education right.”
Hitting back at Kejriwal, Sarma tweeted on Thursday, “Dear @ArvindKejriwal Ji – As usual, you commented on something without any homework! Since my days as Education Minister, till now, please note, Assam Govt has established/taken over 8,610 NEW SCHOOLS; How many new schools Delhi Government has started in last 7 yrs?”
Giving a break-up of the new schools opened in the state, Sarma said in another tweet: “Provincialisation or taking over Pvt schools into govt fold since 2013: Elementary: 6,802; Secondary: 1,589; Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya: 81; Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Avashik Vidayalaya: 3; Adarsha Vidyalaya: 38; Tea Garden Model School: 97.”
The Assam tagged his Delhi counterpart in the tweet, saying: “Curious to know Delhi’s figures!”
Earlier on Thursday, state minister and Sarma’s close confidant Pijush Hazarika also criticised Kejriwal.
Hazarika claimed that schools in Assam are not being closed, but rather amalgamated to improve the overall educational environment.
He also said that the Aam Aadmi Party’s education model has sunk the education system in the national capital, bringing down the Class X pass percentage from 99.09 percent in 2011 to 81.27 percent in 2022.
“The ‘great education model’ of Delhi fares poorly in all aspects as compared to Puducherry. Kejriwal should rather visit Assam to learn,” the minister said.