Special thrust to education in budget earns Kalam plaudits

Kalam said: “I was very happy that education got <g data-gr-id="32">highest</g> budget in Delhi government. So, I am sure that they will build a capacity with skills of education and <g data-gr-id="31">good</g> citizen.” 

He was speaking at an interaction session with Delhi government school teachers at Delhi Secretariat. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia were also present. 

Kalam said the Delhi government should introduce skill development in the school curriculum since India would need 300 to 500 million skilled labour force.

“We could start mobile skill development laboratories across Delhi. The mobiles will be equipped with gadgets and hardware needed to conduct skill development training. It will have mechanical and chemical engineering set up for training,” he added.

“There is a need to completely change the university education syllabus and secondary school education syllabus. During the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th class, 25 <g data-gr-id="34">per cent</g> of the time has to be allotted for <g data-gr-id="39">skill</g> development programme,” he said.

Asserting that education and health are Delhi government’s topmost priorities, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the expenditure on the two sectors is an investment.

“We consider the money being spent on education and health as an investment for the future. For the first time, the budget allocation for education by any government has seen a quantum jump. We have doubled the education budget, hiking it by 106 <g data-gr-id="36">per cent</g> while the budget for health has been increased by 45 per cent,” he said at the meet. 

Allocating a budget of Rs 9,836 crore for <g data-gr-id="38">education</g> sector in the financial year 2015-16, the Delhi government had announced a plan of developing 50 schools as model schools.