Basic education minister exposes opposition’s misinformation in UP assembly, responds with data

Lucknow Focus News Desk: In the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh countered the opposition’s criticism on issues such as student enrollment, teacher recruitment, school mergers, education hiring, and the proposal to reduce the entry age for children in primary schools to 4 years. He responded with detailed statistics, asserting that the opposition had politicised the merger policy to mislead the public, whereas the government has undertaken historic measures to elevate the standard of education.

338,590 teachers and 143,450 Shiksha Mitras appointed in primary schools

The minister informed the Assembly that there are currently over 14.8 million students enrolled in council schools, with more than 628,000 teachers, Shiksha Mitras, and instructors employed. In primary schools alone, there are 10,493,389 enrolled students, taught by 338,590 teachers and 143,450 Shiksha Mitras. Upper primary schools have 4,301,483 students, taught by 120,860 teachers and 25,223 instructors. The student–teacher ratio stands at 30:1 in primary and 35:1 in upper primary education.

He clarified that after pairing, schools with up to 50 students will have two teachers and one Shiksha Mitra, ensuring a balanced student–teacher ratio.

Rejecting allegations of school closures, the minister stated that the government has not shut down a single school. All council schools are operating under the Basic Education Department as usual. On the proposal to reduce the entry age to 4 years, he made it clear that it is not possible, as RTE provisions mandate a uniform policy across the country. Children aged 3 to 6 years already have access to early education and nutrition facilities in Anganwadi centres.

4,301,483 students in upper primary schools taught by 120,860 teachers and 25,223 instructors

Explaining the merger policy, the minister said that only schools located within a 1 km radius and having fewer than 50 students were paired with resource-rich schools to provide better facilities and ensure accessibility. Vacant schools are being utilised to run pre-primary classes such as play school and nursery in collaboration with the ICDS department. Over 3,000 schools are already working with ICDS, and 19,484 ACCEs have been appointed on a contractual basis.

Highlighting the government’s achievements, he pointed out that from 2017 to 2025, the Yogi Government has done more for education than any of its predecessors. This year alone, more than 2.7 million children have been newly enrolled. During the previous SP government’s tenure, 34.5 million children were out of school, while the current government has worked to bring children from their homes into classrooms.

He further stated that Model Composite Schools are being established to improve education quality, with each school being built at a cost of ₹30 crore, and two such schools planned for every district. The Yogi Government, he emphasised, is committed to raising the quality of education to new heights.

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