‘Condition Of 80% Govt Schools Worse Than Junkyard’: Kejriwal Writes Letter To PM Modi Over PM-SHRI Scheme

PM Modi had announced on the occasion of Teacher’s Day that 14,500 schools across the country would be developed and upgraded under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana. 

Arvind Kejriwal has demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to modernise all 10 lakh government schools across country in one go.

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that over 80 per cent of the government schools in the country are “worse than junkyards'', reported news agency PTI. Kejriwal’s letter comes in light of the Prime Minister’s decision to modernise 14,500 schools under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana. 

Continuing from Tuesday when he had termed PM’s decision “a drop of water in the ocean”, Kejriwal reiterated a plan to upgrade all 10 lakh government schools across the country. 

"In India, 27 crore students go to school daily, out of which 18 crore students go to government schools. The condition of 80 per cent government schools is worse than a junkyard. If we are giving such education to crores of our children, imagine how the country will be developed," Kejriwal said in his letter written in Hindi, reported the news agency. 

"You have made a plan for the modernisation of 14,500 schools but if we work at this pace, it will take 100 years to upgrade all our government schools. I request you to prepare a plan for the redevelopment of all 10 lakh government run schools in the country," he added.

On Monday, PM Modi had announced on the occasion of Teacher’s Day that 14,500 schools across the country would be developed and upgraded under the 'PM-SHRI Yojana'. They will be equipped with modern infrastructure, including labs, smart classrooms, libraries and sports facilities, he said.

A day later, addressing a press conference, the Delhi Chief Minister responded by saying Modi should prepare a plan in consultation with all states to upgrade the country's 10 lakh government schools over the next five years.

"India cannot become the number one country in the world without ensuring free quality education for every child," Kejriwal had said.