LG made mockery of governance: Sisodia
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said more than 700 government schools do not have principals and are being managed by vice-principals
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday accused lieutenant governor VK Saxena of having “unconstitutionally” taken over the Delhi government services department which looks after the recruitment of principals at state-run schools, an issue that seems to be a new source of friction in the ongoing tussle between Saxena and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Sisodia’s remarks came a day after the LG put on hold a proposal by the state’s Department of Education (DoE) to abolish 244 posts of principals and deputy education officers (DEOs), while clearing the revival of 126 such posts.
Speaking at a press conference, the deputy chief minister, who also holds the education portfolio, said, “The LG has claimed that he has given the approval for the appointment of principals on 126 posts which had been held back by the Delhi government in the past. This is another ridiculous bunch of lies presented by the LG office. The LG has made a mockery of the whole governance system in Delhi, just because he has unconstitutional power to control the services department. If the LG had not taken over the services department unconstitutionally then today each school would have had its own permanent principal.”
Sisodia said more than 700 government schools do not have principals and are being managed by vice-principals.
The LG’s office did not respond to Sisodia’s allegations.
However, on Saturday, the LG’s office criticised DoE for its “apathy and inaction” in its failure to fill the vacant posts. The LG’s office had also asked DoE to “submit a suitable proposal for abolition or creation of posts of principal or deputy education officer after getting the comprehensive study conducted from the administrative reforms department, as pointed out by the services department.”
On Sunday, Sisodia alleged that the Centre and the LG are adamant about keeping control of the services department, but are not appointing principals in schools. “They are not at all worried or interested in appointing school principals for the 18 lakh students studying in them. Both are playing with the future of lakhs of students. They have taken over the services department of the Delhi government unconstitutionally. Neither they themselves are interested in appointing the principals nor do they want chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to appoint the principals in schools,” he said.
Sisodia said the Delhi government recently moved for the filling of the 370 posts because the administration of schools was being affected. “We pushed the services department and sent the file for the 370 appointments to the LG as the administration of schools was being affected. Then in a very unfortunate manner, the LG claimed that he has revived the lapsed post of 126 principals, whereas the reality is that the LG has held back the approval on appointments for 244 posts and asked the department to conduct an assessment study to check whether these Principals are required in schools or not... The LG is making a mockery of Delhi’s education system by asking for a study on the need for Principals in schools,” he said.
In separate a press conference, AAP legislator Atishi claimed the LG did not allow the recruitment of principals, doctors and employees at Delhi’s schools and hospitals for eight years. Delhi government has the authority to build school and hospital buildings but cannot recruit teachers, doctors and employees.
AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj, meanwhile, alleged that the LG is responsible for shortage of principals in Delhi schools.
Responding to Sisodia’s allegations, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said instead of filling vacancies at state-run schools, the Kejriwal government has introduced and promoted mega-parent teachers’ meetings and happiness classes.
“Now, when the LG taking suo motu cognisance, and has approved the appointment of 6,100 teachers and 126 principals in the schools, the AAP felt that the LG’s act has exposed their negligence. so now to suppress the good news of the appointments done, they have started a dispute over remaining appointments,” said Kapoor.