Former Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Ajay Singh criticized the Madhya Pradesh government, citing a recent NITI Aayog report that highlighted the state’s education system’s decline. Singh, speaking in Bhopal, pointed out that nearly 13,500 schools in Madhya Pradesh were operating without electricity, impacting students’ learning environment. He also raised concerns about the lack of basic amenities in schools, noting that around 2,000 schools in the state lacked toilets for female students.
The Congress leader emphasized the discrepancy between the government’s slogans like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and the actual conditions in schools. Singh questioned the government’s priorities, particularly regarding the shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools. He highlighted that over 52,000 positions were vacant in schools across Madhya Pradesh, with more than 45,000 vacancies in primary school teaching roles.
Singh further criticized the government for the high dropout rates in primary and secondary education levels, attributing this trend to inadequate infrastructure and facilities. He noted that while many smaller states and Union Territories provided computer education, around 40% of schools in Madhya Pradesh lacked even a single computer. Singh urged Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to address the report’s findings seriously, move beyond mere event management, and take concrete steps to enhance infrastructure and fill teaching vacancies.
