Sisodia: Will do ‘surgical strike’ on hunger, unemployment

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 20 

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday said the government would carry out a “surgical strike” on hunger, unemployment, illiteracy, violence and hatred in society. He said these ills need to be fought through education.

Addressing government officials and education experts at an administrative capacity building programme for heads of government schools, Sisodia, who is also the Education Minister, said the purpose of education was to provide happiness to children. 

“In newspapers, we read headlines that make us sad. The Army cannot do a surgical strike on it, you will have to do it. The teachers and education staff of Delhi will conduct a strike on these ills,” he said.

Sisodia highlighted achievements of the AAP government in uplift of the education sector in Delhi and laid emphasis on the happiness curriculum and entrepreneurship mindset launched for government schools in Delhi.

About the curriculum for Class IX-XII students, which has been launched on a pilot basis in some of the city government schools, he said, “The entrepreneurship mindset curriculum is aimed at preparing more job providers rather than job seekers.” 

“There should not be any confusion that the curriculum is intended to prepare entrepreneurs as it is aimed at cultivating entrepreneurial mindset in students so that they become job providers and problem solvers in any field they choose,” said Sisodia.

The Deputy CM also asked education department officials to issue a circular on teacher innovation fund of Rs 1-1.5 lakh per school, which was announced in the Delhi Government budget.

Replying to a question, Sisodia said all eligible vice-principals would be promoted if the Delhi Government was given power of the Services Department.

He also said the government had removed the income cap on scholarship for meritorious students so that most of them would benefit.

Sisodia highlighted human resource and infrastructure developments in the education sector under the AAP government and the overall improvement in the results of Delhi schools in last more than four years.

He claimed 2.5 times increase in the education budget from Rs 6,600 crore in 2015 to Rs 15,600 crore in 2019 and said by November, 45,118 classrooms would be ready against 24,157 in 2015.