Do not withdraw the challenge now, said Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday, taking on Uttar Pradesh basic education minister Satish Dwivedi who dared the Delhi minister to pay them a visit and debate the education and school facilities in the two states.
The UP minster threw the challenge soon after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Tuesday that his Aam Aadmi Party will contest the 2022 Uttar Pradesh state polls. In his announcement, Kejriwal had highlighted conditions of healthcare facilities, schools, governance and law and order in Uttar Pradesh.
“BJP leaders asked for a debate on school models. They challenged me for a visit and also an open debate. I accept both the challenges. Next Tuesday [December 22], I will be in Lucknow. Please let me know where to come for the debate and who to argue with – the chief minister, deputy CM or education minister of UP. Let’s have an open debate on government schools in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh… I have one request, please do not withdraw the challenge now,” said Sisodia, who also doubles up as Delhi education minister.
Sisodia added, “Schools get better with quality education, freedom to teachers, etc. The Delhi government is the first and the only one to spend 25% of its budget on schools… Schools in Uttar Pradesh are in extremely bad shape… I urge Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath to improve the condition of schools in Uttar Pradesh. If he doesn’t do that, people will vote the AAP to power and we will change the condition of the education sector in the state.”
The UP government is yet to respond to Sisodia’s acceptance offer.
Last month, Manish Sisodia was invited as a guest speaker on an online panel discussion on the happiness curriculum of the Delhi government by the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) during its International Education Week.
Professor Fernando Reimers, Ford Foundation professor of practice in international education at HGSE, praised Sisodia’s vision and said the happiness curriculum was path-breaking, and impressive in tackling the huge challenge of building capacity of teachers, and enforcing happiness classes in all Delhi government schools.
The Delhi government introduced the ‘happiness curriculum’ in its schools from July 2018. Under the curriculum, nursery and kindergarten students twice a week and students from classes 1 to 8 spend time engaging in meditation, storytelling, and activity sessions. The curriculum includes storytelling and activities, followed by question-and-answer sessions.