New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday strongly rejected Opposition allegations that his government has shut down 29,000 schools, asserting instead that the state’s education system is being strengthened through integration and modernisation initiatives.

Speaking in the Assembly, CM Adityanath clarified that schools with fewer than 50 students and located within a one-kilometre radius are being merged under a “school pairing” initiative to create integrated campuses with improved infrastructure.

“Our aim is to achieve a 22:1 student–teacher ratio and enhance education quality,” he said.

Highlighting pre-2017 conditions, CM Adityanath said 1.56 lakh basic and affiliated schools faced poor infrastructure, an imbalanced student–teacher ratio, and the highest dropout rate in the country.

Under programmes like ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ and ‘Operation Kayakalp’, community members and public representatives were encouraged to adopt schools, leading to upgrades such as smart classes, digital libraries, solar power, playgrounds, and better seating. Students now receive two uniforms, bags, books, shoes, and socks free of cost.

Bal Vatika and pre-primary classes for children aged 3–6 years are being introduced, while a Rs 100 crore CM Nutrition Mission package will address malnutrition and anaemia among children. Since 2017, UP has recorded 40 lakh new school enrollments and a sharp fall in dropout rates.

CM Adityanath also cited progress in higher and technical education, including courses in AI, Robotics, and Space Technology in 150 government ITIs, the establishment of 71 new government colleges, and the renovation of 75-year-old inter colleges.

On employment, CM Adityanath claimed 8.5 lakh jobs have been given since 2017, including to 1.75 lakh women, boosting female workforce participation from 13.5 per cent to 35 per cent and reducing unemployment from 19 per cent to 3 per cent.

Through CM YUVA, 1.65 crore youth have found jobs, while UP now hosts 7,200 startups and 50 incubators.

CM Adityanath added, “In the police force, 62,200 new personnel have been recruited. Training capacity has expanded from 3,000 to 60,000, and residential facilities have been upgraded from dilapidated barracks to modern high-rise complexes.”

Cybercrime, identified as a major challenge, is now being tackled with one cyber police station in each of the 75 districts, compared to just one in Gautam Buddha Nagar before 2017.

A dedicated cyber headquarters is being established, and cyber help desks are now operational in every police station in the state.

–IANS

sas/rad