New Delhi witnessed a significant milestone in education today as Chief Minister Rekha Gupta graced the inauguration of a new school building at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Mansarovar Garden, along with 100 state-of-the-art ICT labs and the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) in Dilshad Garden. Education Minister Ashish Sood led the ceremony, emphasizing the government’s commitment to transforming public education.
Addressing a gathered crowd, Minister Sood highlighted that true change in politics isn’t found in flashy newspaper ads but in the concrete structures of classrooms and the tech-equipped labs where children learn. He credited CM Gupta’s visionary leadership for redirecting funds from publicity to essential infrastructure like school buildings, smart classrooms, and ICT facilities.
Sood pointed out the stark reality: in today’s competitive exams like NEET, CUET, and CLAT, computer literacy is mandatory, yet many students lack access at home. Recalling a recent school visit, he noted only a handful of children had computers, some confusing office laptops with home devices.
Under CM Gupta’s guidance, Delhi is surging ahead. From Operation Blackboard’s blackboards in 1984 to smart boards in every classroom today, progress is evident. Over 7,000 new computers have been installed in government schools in under a year. Tenders for 7,000 smart boards are complete, targeting 21,000 classrooms from grades 9-12 over four years with five-year maintenance.
Tenders for 7,000 computers in 175 ICT labs are underway, set to arrive by March 31. Sood criticized past regimes for sham labs with one CPU shared among 10 monitors, now upgraded to individual setups. Thanks to Ladli Foundation, 100 labs now boast 2,000 computers, with 75 more and 1,500 units promised. Every government school will have an ICT lab within three years.
Additionally, over 100 digital libraries are being established this year. Delhi will showcase these advancements at an upcoming AI Summit with a 600 sq ft stall. Launching the ‘Give Back’ campaign, Sood urged parents, citizens, and alumni to contribute, bridging the gap between public and private schools.
The minister thanked CM Gupta, the education directorate, Ladli Foundation, and AIF, declaring the education revolution in Delhi has begun and will accelerate rapidly.