Chandigarh, Aug 6 (IANS) Launching a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Kewal Singh Dhillon on Thursday alleged that the party’s much-publicised ‘education revolution’ has failed to deliver on the ground.

He said that opening just two new government schools while shutting down seven during the last four-and-a-half years reflects the state government’s failure to strengthen state’s education system.

Dhillon claimed that the decline of nearly six lakh students in government schools, coupled with thousands of vacant teaching posts, clearly demonstrates that the state government’s so-called education revolution has remained confined to advertisements and social media campaigns.

According to the State BJP President, this has put the future of lakhs of students at risk.

Citing figures that he said were placed before the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Dhillon said that 31,370 teaching posts are lying vacant in government schools across the state.

He also claimed that government colleges are facing a shortage of 2,424 professors, while enrolment in government schools has declined by nearly six lakh students over the past five years.

He asserted that quality education cannot be ensured without adequate teaching staff.

Instead of strengthening the education system through timely recruitment and improved infrastructure, the AAP government, Dhillon alleged, focused on promoting a “Delhi Model” through expensive publicity campaigns.

“Education standards cannot be improved through social media campaigns or multi-crore advertisements. They require qualified teachers, better infrastructure and long-term policy reforms,” the State BJP President said.

He also alleged that Punjab’s education sector continued to struggle with a severe shortage of teachers, recurring examination paper leaks and a deteriorating academic environment.

Dhillon said that Punjab’s children deserved a strong, transparent and quality education system rather than what he described as “publicity-driven governance”.

He claimed that only such structural reforms can secure the future of the state’s students.

–IANS

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