The High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to India, Ahmed Sule, called on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday.
During the meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, Sule ‘praised’ the prevailing education system and infrastructure, as well as the ‘healthcare revolution’, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a statement late Thursday evening.
“They discussed various issues, including education and healthcare,” the statement said.
Further, as per the statement, Sule asked the Delhi CM and AAP convenor about the strategy and vision that his government put to practice to bring about an overhaul of government schools in the national capital.
In response, CM Kejriwal said the primary focus of his administration has been government schools, and they are unwaveringly committed to providing a world-class education to students in public schools, the release stated.
It stated that the CM informed that the Delhi government allocated nearly 25 per cent of its total budget to education from the beginning, adding that it has provided new-age infrastructure for government schools, including the provision of swimming pools in many of them.
“Today, the results of government schools are even better than those of private schools. The Delhi Government aims to ensure that even children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds receive high-quality education, enabling them to succeed in life and contribute to the country’s development alongside their families,” the release stated.
Further, according to the release, CM Kejriwal shed light on Delhi’s healthcare system, stating that the national capital has several multi and super-speciality government hospitals.
“The infrastructure of these government hospitals has been improved. Recognizing the lack of primary healthcare facilities in Delhi, they established Mohalla Clinics. So far, they have set up more than 550 Mohalla Clinics in every part of Delhi. These clinics provide treatment for minor illnesses. Now, people have the convenience of better healthcare near their homes,” CM Kejriwal told HC Ahmed Sule, according to the statement.
The CM, as per the release, added that complete treatment for everyone is provided for free in government hospitals.
The AAP government in Punjab has also set up over 650 Aam Aadmi Clinics within a year, and more are being opened, the CM was quoted as saying in the release.
Further, according to the statement, Education Minister Atishi elaborated on the “revolutionary changes” in the field of education in the national capital.
“She explained that steps were taken systematically to rectify the sorry state of government schools. Initially, the decision was made to improve the infrastructure in schools, leading to the construction of new and impressive school buildings. Government schools are now equipped with digital classrooms, and recreational facilities, and are providing students with world-class education. Today, the infrastructure of Delhi’s government schools is even better than private schools,” the release added.
It further added that Sule asked the CM about the “numerous free services being provided to Delhiites and how such services are funded”.
“In response, CM Arvind Kejriwal explained that his party is relatively new in politics, and he has limited political exposure. In this short time, he has found that the government has sufficient resources. If the government is honest and efficiently managed, there is no shortage of resources to meet the needs of the people,” it added.
The official statement claimed further that CM Arvind Kejriwal noted that corruption, inefficiency, and wasteful spending are the three areas where public funds are often misused. “Controlling corruption, inefficiency, and wasteful spending ensures that the government has ample resources to work in the interest of the common people,” CM Kejriwal told HC Ahmad Sule, as per the statement.
It further added that during the conversation, the Nigerian High Commissioner expressed his desire to visit government schools and hospitals in Delhi to understand the government’s education and healthcare models.
“In response, CM Arvind Kejriwal expressed his pleasure at meeting Nigeria’s HC Ahmed Sule and assured that they would soon schedule a visit to government schools and hospitals,” the statement added.