By next February, the Palam area in South-West Delhi will have a new splendid government school with world-class facilities. On Thursday, Delhi’s CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal laid the foundation stone of the school building. This school will be ready by February 2025. The school will have 50 classrooms, 9 labs, two libraries, an activity room, and a well-ventilated AC auditorium, a lift, facilities for a basketball court and indoor games will also be developed. Here, children will be able to study in the science, commerce, and arts streams.
On this occasion, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that they have created the Delhi Sports School. Its sole purpose is to prepare athletes for the Olympics so that they can bring more medals to the country. If magnificent government schools had been built across the country right after independence, there would not have been a single poor person in our country today. Education Minister Atishi, local MLA Bhavna Gaur, officials, and a large number of people from the area were present on this occasion.
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal laid the foundation stone of the school building in Mahavir Enclave, Palam. The band of NSG cadets gave him a guard of honor and escorted him to the program venue. During this time, CM along with other dignitaries lit the ceremonial lamp. The CM laid the foundation of the new school building by breaking a coconut ceremoniously. He also inaugurated the plaque of the school, inspected the model of the building and learned about the world-class facilities to be provided to the children from the officials. During this time, school children presented a welcome song and welcomed the CM with a bouquet.
During this time, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “I’m glad that we have assembled in such large numbers to lay the foundation of this new school here. Where the foundation for building a magnificent school has been laid today, there used to be garbage earlier. Now there will be no garbage here, but rather the work of nation-building will be done here. A magnificent and expansive government school will now be built here, where the future of our children will be made. The school has 50 classrooms and 9 labs. One will hardly find a lab in the government schools of the country. Before our government came to power, government schools in Delhi didn’t have laboratories. Now this school would have 9 dedicated laboratories for different subjects and purposes such as Physics, Chemistry, and computer lab etc. This school will also have a Staff room and activity rooms where different kinds of activities will commence. There would be one AC Hall for the children.
“We had never heard that air-conditioned halls are built in government schools. In this 3-storey school, there will be an air-conditioned hall and an elevator. Even expensive private schools in Delhi don’t have elevators. Delhi’s most magnificent government school will be built in Palam for your children. In the past few months, I have inaugurated and laid the foundation of several schools. A few days ago, I laid the foundation of 4 new schools in Kirari, where 10,000 children will study. Along with 6 more new schools in Kirari, a total of 10 new schools are being built. 3 days ago, a new school was also inaugurated in Rohini, where 1500 to 2000 children will study,” the Chief Minister added.
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal further stated that they have established a sports school in Delhi. Such a school is not found all over the country. Some children are not interested in studying. Their interests lie in cricket, table tennis, wrestling, and kabaddi. If children interested in sports are provided with facilities for playing since childhood, they can win Olympic medals for the country. “Keeping such children in mind, we have established Delhi Sports School and Delhi Sports University. If your child is good at playing, enrol them in a sports school. Children are being prepared for the Olympics in this school. The sole purpose of a sports school is to bring Olympic medals for the country,” he added.
The Chief Minister mentioned, “The Delhi government is spending a considerable amount of money on this. Currently, India gets very few medals in the Olympics. We keep watching, and people from China, Japan, America, and Europe take away the medals. What is lacking in us? Our country has a population of 140 crore people. Can’t we win medals? Suryakant Yadav, a resident of Kailashpuri, has won many medals in para-badminton. Children from all over the country gather here. This time, 15,000 children applied for admission to Delhi Sports School, out of which 200 have been shortlisted. Their food, accommodation, everything is free. They are being provided with the best coaches and facilities in the country.”
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal expressed that in the 75-year history of India, such extensive work has never been done in the field of education as it has been done in Delhi. Today, in the foundation laying ceremony of a school, such a large number of people are gathering, which didn’t happen before. People were concerned about their children’s education, and they didn’t hope that their children would have a good future in government schools. Today, such a large number of people are gathering here with the hope that our children will also become doctors or engineers.
Now, the dreams of poor children will also be fulfilled. Schools are being built on such a large scale today; they should have been built in 1950. What we are doing after 75 years should have been done in 1950, 1951, 1960. When our country gained independence, then such magnificent government schools would have been built, and there would not have been a single poor person in our country today.
“I believe that if we provide good education to all our children, poverty will be eliminated from the country within a generation. Poverty can only be eradicated through education, not through speeches. If this work had been done during independence, our country would not be poor today. The country will progress only when every child receives a good education. There is a lot of inflation throughout the country. Recently, a survey of the central government has shown that Delhi has the lowest inflation in the entire country. There is low inflation in Delhi because electricity, water, and education are free here. Many magnificent new schools are being built in Delhi,” he said.
The Delhi CM shared that earlier, parents had to spend ₹3000 to ₹4000 per month on one child. Now they are saving. Medicines, vaccines, and even major operations are free in government hospitals. Mohalla Clinics are being built everywhere. Travel for women in DTC buses and pilgrimage trips for the elderly are free. Because of this, Delhi has the lowest inflation in the entire country. He said that now Delhi’s unauthorized colonies look better than the concrete colonies. All roads have been constructed, water connections are being provided. Sewer connections are being provided. CCTV cameras are being installed. Today, the condition of unauthorized colonies is much better compared to before. 75 years of work cannot be done in 5 years. We are working on both water supply and bills.
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that people face difficulties when going to get ration. Many times, some ration shopkeepers underweight and charge more money. Some indulge in adulteration and even abuse, they don’t even open the shops. Before I entered politics, I used to work in Delhi’s slums, Sunder Nagri and Nandnagari. We used to fight with our ‘ration walas’ (ration provider) every day. They used to harass people a lot. Keeping this in mind, 2-3 years ago, we launched a scheme that there is no need to go to the shop to get ration, instead, the government will pack wheat, rice, and sugar in a bag and deliver it to every household every month. The cabinet passed this scheme. The Chief Minister and all the ministers signed it. However, the central government did not allow it to happen. After that, God heard us because our intentions were right.
“We wanted to stop theft. God made our government in Punjab. Now, I am going to launch this scheme in Punjab on Saturday. The ration will now be delivered to every household in Punjab. These people are trying to stop all our work. The people of Delhi lifted me from the slums of the beautiful city. The gratitude of this love cannot be repaid even in seven lifetimes. I have also resolved that whether I have to touch their feet or fold my hands, I will get all the work done,” he said.
The Delhi CM said, “In the past few days, they have filed many cases against me to stop me. Sometimes the notice of ED comes, and sometimes of CBI. It feels like I am the biggest terrorist in the country. They have left all the agencies and police behind me. It is written in the Gita that God has sent every human being to earth with some purpose. Whatever human being is born on earth, he has some purpose. Their goal is to make false cases, send notices, and put everyone in jail. God has sent me to earth to build your schools, make electricity free, arrange water, and build hospitals. Let them do their work, I will do mine. I have no complaints against those people.”
“They say that Kejriwal is a thief. I made electricity-free in Delhi and Punjab. Electricity is very expensive in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. Is the one who makes electricity free a thief or the one who makes electricity expensive? Medical treatment has become free in Delhi and Punjab. Magnificent Mohalla Clinics and hospitals have been built. Is the one who arranges free treatment for everyone a thief or the one who makes treatment expensive for everyone? They say that Shri Manish Sisodia is a thief. Shri Manish Sisodia has built magnificent schools for the children of the poor in Delhi and given them a future. Wherever their governments are, government schools are being closed there. The children there are forced to go to expensive private schools. Is he a thief who arranges excellent education for the children of the poor, or is he a thief who closes schools for the children of the poor? CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal reasoned.
Wrong bills will be forgiven, the government will soon announce the scheme: CM Arvind Kejriwal
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that during the Corona period, many water meters were not read, many wrong readings were taken, and wrong bills were generated. Since then, people have been facing a lot of difficulties. Many people have received the wrong bills. Those who think they have received the wrong bills do not need to deposit the water bill. A plan to rectify the water bills will be announced soon, and all such wrong bills will be forgiven.
While addressing the audience, Education Minister Atishi said, ‘While coming here for the ceremony, I observed that this area is densely populated. Amidst the densely located buildings, this school is the requirement of today for children in the area. Today, we are laying the foundation of this school, but I am confident that within 12 months, CM Arvind Kejriwal will be back here to inaugurate the new magnificent school building. And from the next academic session, students from Mahavir Enclave and the nearby areas will be able to take admission here.’
She added that before the Kejriwal Government’s Education Revolution that transformed the Delhi Government Schools in the past 9 years, these schools used to be dilapidated. Whenever anyone visited Delhi government schools, they had first to bear the stench from toilets. There were no desks and benches for students. Doors and windows in the classrooms were broken. Lights and blackboards were broken. Teachers were put on various duties that restricted them from taking classes.
The Education Minister said, ‘People used to send their children to Delhi Government schools out of compulsion because they could not afford the education of their children in private schools. If parents had some money, they used to send their children to private schools and pay the fees with all the money they had. Parents used to think that if they would send their children to government schools, then they would not have any future.’
She added that in India, it is believed that the fate of people is decided as per their palm lines. Similarly, it was decided at the age of 3 that if the parents of any child were from a wealthier family, it was decided that he/she would get an education in premier institutes of the country. But those who had little money would send their child to government schools. According to figures, many of these children might also leave schooling before completing their class 12. Since the level of education was not good in government schools, even if the children completed schooling, they never got good jobs. They either worked as mechanics or domestic help.
She added that there is nothing wrong with such jobs, but they should not be a compulsion for anyone. Every child should have equal opportunities regardless of their background. If these children would have got good opportunities to study, they would have got much better jobs. It is the privilege of Delhi people that they have a CM like Arvind Kejriwal who has changed the palm lines of the children of Delhi.
Ms. Atishi said, ‘In the past 9 years, Delhi government schools have completely transformed. Today we are laying the foundation of a new school here. For the past week, every day a new school has been inaugurated or laid the foundation for in Delhi.’ Along with building magnificent schools, the Kejriwal Government ensured that more teachers were recruited in schools. Teachers of Delhi Government Schools were sent for training abroad. CM Arvind Kejriwal ensured that all children studying in Delhi Government Schools get an equal opportunity irrespective of their backgrounds, she added.
She added that today, students of Delhi Government Schools have surpassed their counterparts from private schools. For the past 7 years, the results of Delhi government schools have been getting better than private schools. Every year, more than 1000 students clear exams of IIT-JEE and NEET and get admission to premier institutes. Today, education in Delhi Government Schools has improved so much that nearly 3 lakh students have shifted from private schools to government schools in the past few years. This is the education revolution of CM Arvind Kejriwal.
The time has gone when people used to queue up outside private schools for admission. Today, people line up outside Delhi Government Schools and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Schools of Specialized Excellence. This year, when the admissions were opened for ASoSEs, we received 1.40 lakh applications for 6000 seats.
The Education Minister said, “On behalf of the people of Delhi, I would like to thank CM Arvind Kejriwal today because he is the one who thinks more seriously about the future of our children than us. I am confident that in the future, children studying from this school will bring laurels for Delhi as well as for this country.”
About the School:
A new Ground Plus Three (G+3) school, designed as a Semi-Permanent Structure (SPS), is set to be built in Sector 1, Dwarka serving areas of Palam in the district South West Delhi. It will comprise a total of 80 equivalent rooms. Land was allotted to the Directorate of Education in July 2007 by the DDA. The new building is scheduled to be completed by February 2025.
About the infrastructure in the school:
The total plot area is 4000.203 Square Meters (about 1 acre). With the proposed construction, this building will have:
50 classrooms equipped with green board and other furniture for students and teachers, in addition, there are 9 Labs, 2 Libraries, office & staff rooms and activity rooms, toilet blocks on every floor and lift. There would be a fully air-conditioned multi-purpose hall with a seating capacity of 150.
About the enrolment and benefit to children in the area:
In the surrounding area, there are 3 schools: SKV and SBV Vijay Enclave, operating on a double shift basis, with a combined enrolment of 4249 students, Govt Coed SSS, Dwarka (sector 2), with an enrolment of 2900 students. Collectively, these 3 schools (operating from 2 buildings) serve a total of 7149 students, all of which are characterized by heavy enrollment and serve a densely populated region. Currently, Govt Coed SSS, Dwarka (sector 2), offers a science stream. The new school will offer all three streams of study- Science, Commerce, and Arts, along with vocational subjects. The construction of new school buildings is expected to alleviate pressure on existing schools and improve the Student-Classroom Ratio (SCR). The positive impact will extend to catchment areas like Mahavir Enclave, Vijay Enclave, and Sitapuri areas bringing substantial benefits to the community. The new school will include sports amenities such as a basketball court and indoor games facilities. The state-of-the-art laboratories and libraries will provide world-class learning opportunities for children from the adjoining area.
