Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Inaugurates New School Building, Highlights Infrastructure Push
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday inaugurated a new school building block at a Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Mansarovar Garden, underscoring her government's dedication to improving infrastructure and learning facilities in schools across the capital. The event marked a significant step in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispensation's efforts to elevate the quality of education in government institutions.
Commitment to Quality Education and Digital Learning
Speaking at the inauguration, CM Gupta emphasized that the BJP-led government aims to make Delhi's government schools a preferred choice for parents, rivaling or surpassing private schools in terms of quality, facilities, and infrastructure. "Real success in the education sector will be achieved when parents themselves choose government schools for their children," she stated, highlighting a long-term vision for educational excellence.
In addition to the school building, Gupta inaugurated an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Laboratory in Mansarovar and a District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) at Dilshad Garden. She acknowledged the role of public-private partnerships, including support from the Ladli Foundation and the American India Foundation (AIF), in strengthening digital education initiatives. A total of 101 computer labs have been established in government schools through such collaborations, with over 2,000 computers provided to date, she added, showcasing the scale of digital infrastructure development.
Government Initiatives and Future Plans
Education Minister Ashish Sood reinforced the government's focus on tangible improvements in classrooms and laboratories, rather than mere publicity campaigns. He noted that the administration is prioritizing spending on school infrastructure, including classrooms and ICT facilities, to bridge the digital divide among students. "Access to computers and technology-enabled learning is crucial, as most competitive examinations are now computer-based," Sood explained, linking infrastructure upgrades to practical educational outcomes.
Sood further detailed ambitious plans for the future, revealing that the government has already tendered 7,000 smart blackboards and intends to install smart boards in approximately 21,000 classrooms for Classes 9 to 12 over the next four years, backed by a five-year maintenance guarantee. This initiative aims to modernize teaching methods and enhance student engagement.
Impact on Student-Teacher Ratio and Teacher Training
Director of Education Viditha Reddy provided specifics on the newly inaugurated building at Mansarovar Garden, which has added 29 classrooms. This expansion is expected to reduce the student-teacher ratio from about 55:1 to nearly 40:1, improving the learning environment and allowing for more personalized attention. A computer lab is also being developed at the school to bolster digital learning capabilities.
At Dilshad Garden, the new DIET building features 36 rooms and multiple laboratories, designed to support capacity building and professional development for teachers. Reddy highlighted that, through corporate social responsibility interventions, 20 computer labs have been set up in 100 schools, with the Dilshad Garden lab being the 101st facility inaugurated, demonstrating a concerted effort to expand digital access.
The BJP government's initiatives reflect a comprehensive approach to transforming Delhi's education landscape, focusing on infrastructure, technology, and teacher training to create a robust system that meets modern educational demands.
