‘Enrol your kids in govt schools’: CJP's Abhijeet Dipke to ministers

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke struck a provocative note on Tuesday, urging education department officials, ministers, principals and teachers to enroll their own children in government schools. Dipke argued that such an action would prompt a rapid improvement in the quality of government institutions.

"All those working in the education department, including Ministers, officials, principals and teachers, should enrol their own children in govt schools. Then watch how quickly our govt schools magically improve," he tweeted. Dipke questioned their apparent preference for private institutions, inferring distrust in the competency of the government system.

The ministerial mix's reluctance to send their offspring to government schools emerged as a contentious issue following a repair initiative at a school in Dipke's hometown of Santuk Pimpri, Maharashtra's Hingoli district. Dipke's inspection of the school, initiated on August 15, was spurred by complaints about the lack of basic amenities. On learning about the broken window panes in classrooms and other deficiencies, Dipke promptly lodged complaints with the local authorities.

The villagers' enthusiasm for school improvement was evident after Dipke's visit. The gram panchayat promptly took charge of the repair work after the inspection. Dipke celebrated this development as the "first big victory" for the villagers of Limbala in Hingoli district. He commended Abdul, a local resident whose father had been the principal of the school, for his role in the school's restoration. Abdul himself expressed pride in the accomplishment, stating, "Now we must not stop; we will ensure the school is fixed."