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'We haven't sent anybody to study Delhi model': Kerala minister rejects Atishi's claim

AAP MLA said a team of officials from Kerala visited Delhi school

AAP MLA Atishi with education officials from Kerala | Twitter / AtishiAAP AAP MLA Atishi with education officials from Kerala | Twitter / AtishiAAP

The CPI(M)-led Kerala government and the Aam Admi Party were locked in a war of words on Sunday, a day after senior AAP legislator Atishi put out a tweet saying a delegation of educationists from the southern state had visited a government school in Delhi to understand the education model in the national capital. Kerala State Education Minister V. Sivankutty outrightly rejected Atishi's claims and said the state government had not sent any such delegation to Delhi.

“Kerala’s Dept of Education has not sent anyone to learn about the ‘Delhi Model’. At the same time, all assistance was provided to officials who had visited from Delhi to study the ‘Kerala Model’ last month. We would like to know which ‘officials’ were welcomed by the AAP MLA,” Sivakutty said in a tweet.

Atishi had on Saturday claimed that a team of officials from Kerala visited a school in Delhi and that they were keen to understand and implement Delhi's education model in their state. 

“It was wonderful to host officials from Kerala at one of our schools in Kalkaji. They were keen to understand and implement our education model in their state.  

This is @ArvindKejriwal Govt’s idea of nation building. Development through collaboration,” she tweeted.

On Sunday, soon after the Kerala minister dismissed her claims, the AAP leader posted another tweet explaining who all were in the team of educationists which visited Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence, Kalkaji. Atishi represents Kalkaji constituency in Delhi Assembly.

“Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence, Kalkaji, was visited yesterday by Mr. Victor T.I, Regional Secy of CBSE School Management Association and Dr. M. Dinesh Babu, Confederation of Kerala Sahodaya Complexes,” she said.

Shailendra Sharma, Principal Advisor (Hon) to the Director Education in Delhi government, also came out in support of Atishi's claims. In reply to a journalist's tweet pointing out the Kerala education minister's response to Atishi's claims, Sharma tweeted: “The press release issued by the Office of AAP MLA @AtishiAAP  clearly states that both the dignitaries who visited our school yesterday were Victor T.I, Regional Secy of CBSE School Management Association and Dinesh Babu, Confederation of Kerala Sahodaya Complexes”.

An Indian Express report on Saturday, quoting a Delhi government statement, claimed that Victor T.I. Had earlier written to Atishi about the possibility of learning more about the transformation of the Delhi government’s schools.

“Ms Atishi explained in detail the various steps and initiatives such as empowering Head of Schools, establishing a framework for Mentor Teachers and enhancing community participation in the upkeep of schools, that have been crucial in turning around the state of government schools in Delhi. Taking note of the complete range of policy reforms and key decisions that the Delhi government has undertaken in the last seven years, the dignitaries visited classrooms to gather a more comprehensive understanding,” the statement said, according to the report.

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