Mann, Sisodia kick off drive to boost edu infra; MLA Jouramajra stirs row

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday launched the state government’s ‘Sikhya Kranti’ drive by unveiling a plaque at the School of Eminence (SoE) in Nawanshahr. He was accompanied by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state incharge Manish Sisodia, who is credited by his party with revolutionising Delhi’s school education system under the AAP government there.

Former Health Minister and AAP leader Chetan Singh Jouramajra, however, courted controversy at a related event by publicly reprimanding the principal and teachers of the SoE in Samana for alleged mismanagement.

Surprised at the lack of decorum and absence of teachers, students and their parents, Jouramajra said the event was a “complete failure”, as he threatened to lodge a complaint with the CM and Education Minister.

At Nawanshahr, Chief Minister Mann said his government borrowed Delhi’s “readymade” model, which revolutionised the Capital’s school education. “Presently we are after two things — drug menace and educational revolution,” he said.

Under the 54-day initiative, the government — till May 31 — is set to inaugurate infrastructure projects completed at around 12,000 schools of the state at a cost Rs 2,000 crore. The Nawanshahr school got a new block constructed at a cost of Rs 5.68 crore and named after former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

Sisodia said the dream of a drug-free state encompasses excellent school education. The former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister said AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and CM Mann’s strategy against drug menace has two main features — strict action against drug smugglers and excellent education system so that no one buys drugs. “This is the solution Kejriwal has brought. The state is progressing under Mann sahib’s leadership,” he added. Reiterating Sisodia’s views, Mann said, “Everyday, bulldozers are razing smugglers’ properties and drug peddlers are being arrested. Even if police personnel are caught, they won’t be spared. Bulldozers will demolish their house too.”

Soon after taking the stage at the Samana event, Jouramajra lambasted principal Harjot Kaur for mismanagement. “Your programme is a complete failure. Do you exercise any power over students or not? This is not a school. There is nothing to call it a school," said Jouramajra.

He admonished the school staff for lack of decorum, saying: “Tell me how many students and teachers are absent. Is this a planned programme? The children are not listening to you. How would you make them study? Those students who are strolling around, mark them absent. I will lodge a complaint with CM Mann and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. What else can you do when you could not even arrange more chairs?”

Jouramajra’s criticism did not go down well with the teaching community. Vikram Dev, state president of the Democratic Teachers’ Front Punjab, said, “We condemn the incident and demand an unconditional apology from Jouramajra. We had written to the department authorities about minimal political interference as the admission season is going on. Sadly, the teachers have been reprimanded in front of students. What kind of impression will it leave upon them?

“We have learnt that Jouramajra has threatened to transfer the teachers to Tarn Taran. It is really discouraging. Jouramajra needs to understand that this is a school, not a political rally and should not be made a playground for politics,” said Dev.

A teacher said the school had 696 students. The majority were from the economical weaker section. Many parents — who had to earn their daily bread — had to leave before the arrival of Jouramajra.

Sources in the school said that the standard operating procedure pertaining to the programme came at the last minute, which caused confusion.

Harjot Kaur, the school principal, said that the students who were either drinking water or had gone to the washroom — to which the Jouramajra objected — were from the ‘Business Blaster’ section and not those sitting in the ‘pandal’. And the teachers who were standing were monitoring the exhibition work.

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