Uttar Pradesh government today welcomed the Allahabad High Court order asking politicians, bureaucrats and judges to send their wards to primary schools run by the government and termed it as an opportunity to improve the standard of education.
Replying to the adjournment notice by Suresh Khanna (BJP), Minister for Basic Education Ram Govind Chaudhary said there could not be any better opportunity to improve the standard of primary education.
"I will write letters to IAS, PCS associations judges and others to send their wards to primary schools," Chaudhary said, adding that he had been saying that only if the members of the House become vigilant and start sending their children to these schools the education standard will improve.
"Socialists have always espoused for general and compulsory education for all," Chaudhary stressed.
To Khanna's statement that Shiv Kumar Pathak, who filed the PIL in this connection, should have been rewarded and has been dismissed from service, Chaudhary said that he had been absenting himself from training during which leave is not allowed.
Action was taken against him five days before the high court verdict but a news channel linked both the issues, Chaudhary said, adding that Pathak failed to give a convincing reply to the explanation sought from him.
The BJP members who were not satisfied with the minister's reply staged a walkout as Leader of Opposition Swami Prasad Maurya (BSP) said that the standard of education was on the slide as teachers are being overburdened with all sorts of work including making arrangements for midday meal.
"The HRD minister should be contacted in this regard and state minister should demand sweeping changes in the education system," Maurya said.
The Allahabad High Court on August 18 asked the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary to ensure that government servants, elected representatives and members of judiciary "and all other persons who get any benefit or salary from state exchequer or public fund" send their children to primary schools run by state Board for Secondary Education.
