New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday asked Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to give in writing that he had never rejected the proposal for sending government teachers for training to Finland as the two sides continued to lock horns over the matter.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal along with his deputy Manish Sisodia led a march to the L-G’s office to voice their protest over the issue and seek a meeting with him.
The LG’s office, however, asserted that it has not rejected the proposal but has advised the AAP government to evaluate it in totality.
Questioning the L-G, the chief minister urged him to give it in writing that the proposal has not been rejected.
“Honourable L-G saying he never rejected teachers’ Finland training proposal. If that is the case, he (L-G) may kindly write me a letter immediately, saying that he has no objection to the proposal and the matter will be over,” Kejriwal said.
Notably, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) had planned to send two groups of 30 primary in-charges to Finland in December 2022 and March 2023. The Council has also made a budget provision in its annual plan and was given a grant-in-aid by the Delhi government for conducting such training programmes.
“It is reiterated that the Lieutenant Governor has not rejected the proposal of training programme for primary-in-charges in Finland. Any statement on the contrary is deliberately misleading and mischievously motivated,” an official from Raj Niwas said.
He said the AAP-led government has been advised to evaluate the proposal in totality and “record the cost benefit analysis in terms of impact on quality of education being provided to students so as to assess the effectiveness of various foreign training programmes for teachers undertaken in the past”.
“The L-G has also advised for examining and identifying similar training programmes in the Institutions of Excellence, within the country, so as to ensure optimal utilisation of resources, fiscal prudence and administrative effectiveness,” the official said.
The city government has so far sent 1,079 teachers to different countries for training. Of these, 59 have gone to Finland, 420 to Cambridge and 600 to Singapore. Besides, 860 school principals have been imparted training in prestigious institutes like IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Lucknow.
