Lucknow— In a fierce attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over its decision to merge and shut down thousands of government schools, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh announced that his party would launch statewide protests to safeguard public education and the rights of students.
Speaking at a press conference held at AAP’s state headquarters, Singh alleged that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s education model is bulldozing the futures of poor, Dalit, and underprivileged children by systematically shutting down schools. “This government is running bulldozers not just on buildings, but on the dreams of our children,” Singh said.
He warned that wherever schools are shut down, AAP will stage protests both at the village level and at district headquarters. “We will not allow schools to close. AAP will lead this fight. This isn’t just about buildings — it’s about the future of our children,” he said.
“Madiralaya vs Pathshala”: A Battle for Uttar Pradesh’s Soul
Sanjay Singh criticized the state government’s priorities, saying, “In 2024, 27,308 liquor shops were opened, and now in 2025, the government plans to shut down 27,000 schools. This is a fight between ‘Madiralayas’ (liquor shops) and ‘Pathshalas’ (schools). The people of Uttar Pradesh must decide — do they want alcohol or education?”
Singh claimed that 42 lakh students have dropped out of government schools in the last four years. Citing data from the Union Education Ministry, he said that in the past year alone, 8 lakh students left public schools in the state. “There are 5,695 schools with only one teacher. In Aligarh district alone, 58,000 students have dropped out of government schools,” he said.
RTE Violations and Teacher Job Losses
Sanjay Singh also accused the government of violating the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14. “By shutting down these schools, the government is directly violating this constitutional right,” he said, warning that over 1.35 lakh assistant teacher appointments, 27,000 headmaster positions, and thousands of Shiksha Mitra roles could be jeopardized.
“The government argues that student numbers are low, but isn’t it the state’s responsibility to ensure enrollment? If the school was opened based on population needs, why shut it down?” Singh asked.
He further slammed the government for neglecting the quality of mid-day meals. “Instead of fixing poor quality meals — often just salt and bread or food with insects — the government is more focused on opening liquor shops,” Singh said.
“You’ve Fought for Temples, Now Fight for Schools”
In a passionate appeal, Singh urged the public to rise for education. “You’ve fought many battles for temples — now it’s time to fight for schools. We won’t let the children’s future be destroyed.”
He concluded with a sharp jibe at the ruling party: “The Prime Minister talks about making employment from cow dung — is this how the BJP sees the people of Uttar Pradesh? They want to fill our minds with hate and ignorance, but we won’t allow it. Education is our right, and we will fight for it.”
The Aam Aadmi Party has vowed to stand by teachers, students, and communities to resist what they call a deliberate erosion of public education in Uttar Pradesh.
