NEW DELHI: AAP Chief Spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj on Saturday alleged that BJP-ruled MCD showed a high number of school students by exaggerating figures on paper to siphon off funds.
Bhardwaj alleged the saffron party had been lying about the increase in student numbers in South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) schools in order to get funds for facilities like mid-day meals, uniforms, books and more. “It’s a big racket. While the SDMC is citing an increase of 93,000 students, we believe that many have left the corporation schools due to their dismal condition,” the legislator said.
Municipal Corporation School Teachers’ Association head Kuldeep Khatri said that the merger of schools proves that the increase of one lakh in the number of students is baseless. Twenty-nine schools are being shut against which the SDMC claims an increase of 93,000 students on paper. “It’s a false claim. The government added 20,000 classrooms since 2015, while the corporation schools were reduced from 1,739 to 1,637,” said Khatri.
The association’s head added, “While the city government gets praised for transforming the face of public education globally, the BJP-ruled MCDs get ridiculed for the dilapidated condition of their schools.”