U.P. Opposition Demands Education Reforms, Terms Government Checklist 'Eyewash'
Amid protests by students in Uttar Pradesh over reported shortages of teachers and infrastructure in government schools, Opposition parties on Friday dismissed the state Education Department's 14-point checklist as inadequate and demanded comprehensive reforms. The checklist, issued to nearly 40,000 primary and secondary schools, covers inspection of basic facilities such as drinking water, electricity, safety measures, blackboards, and quality of food.
“Such attempts to issue a checklist are equal to hiding systematic failure. The truth is that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has let Uttar Pradesh and the country down by benefitting a selected few people, while allowing structural collapse of the education system,” said Afzal Ansari, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and Lok Sabha MP from Ghazipur.
Mr. Ansari said the protests, whether from Gen Alpha or Gen Z, point to deeper anxiety and unrest among young people who are not being provided employment opportunities. He added that the quality of education in government schools has declined due to a lack of teachers and other basic gaps like substandard teaching, leaving students angry with the system. Instead of issuing a checklist, he said, the government needs to initiate comprehensive reforms to match international standards and provide future employability.
The Congress party also criticised the checklist, calling it a ploy to divert attention from school closures and poor teaching due to policy failure. “In Uttar Pradesh, over 25,000 schools have been closed in the last nine years. The BJP government has completely failed in providing quality education, hence students are forced to hit the streets fighting for justice. Such checklists are worthless if quality education is not imparted to students,” said Anil Yadav, a senior Uttar Pradesh Congress leader. He further alleged that the government is fundamentally against logic and reasoning, and does not want educated people who would question its “Hindutva-centric authoritarian outlook.”
The Uttar Pradesh Education Department, on August 20, issued a 14-point checklist to more than 40,000 primary and secondary schools. It includes regular inspection of drinking water, electricity supply, safety measures, blackboards, quality of the mess, separate restrooms for boys and girls, and canteen food. The government also directed officials to promptly check any complaint received through social media or other platforms.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has stressed the need for comprehensive changes to ensure the systematic operation of state-run Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya Schools. “Clear rules and regulations for the schools be prepared, the selection process for vacant teaching posts be expedited, and necessary action be taken towards the formation of a society so that the management and operation of these residential schools can be carried out more systematically,” he said while reviewing the Social Welfare department, which runs these schools.
The Sarvodaya schools came under scrutiny after two large protests by students over the lack of teachers and the quality of food served. These protests have highlighted broader concerns in Uttar Pradesh's education system, including teacher vacancies and inadequate infrastructure. While the government has framed the checklist as a step towards better monitoring, opposition parties argue that without systemic reforms, such measures will not address the root causes of student unrest.
