HINGOLI, Aug 15: Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) convenor Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday criticised successive political governments for failing to adequately improve the infrastructure and quality of government schools, as he prepared to launch his nationwide ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign from Hingoli district in Maharashtra.
Dipke, who was travelling to his ancestral village Santuk Pimpri for the Independence Day launch, said education infrastructure in rural areas had not received the attention it deserved despite repeated political promises.
He questioned why the country could build major government structures but had struggled to provide modern and adequate school facilities in villages.
“We have made a new Parliament, a new PM house. Why have we not been able to build new schools in our villages? Do we not consider the children of farmers and labourers the future of our country?” he asked.
According to Dipke, governments led by different political parties have failed to address fundamental problems affecting state-run schools, including inadequate infrastructure and the quality of education.
“People have now understood that they should talk about education, which is the need of the hour. No matter which political party ruled, nobody worked for government schools in states. Now there is a need, and we can make them work by asking questions,” he said.
The CJP convenor also questioned the expenditure on large banners displayed across Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar during a Tiranga rally attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday.
While welcoming the Independence Day event, Dipke said resources used for extensive publicity could instead have been directed towards improving schools and supporting students in rural areas.
“It is good that a Tiranga rally was organised. However, there were huge banners placed every 40-50 feet. Where did this money come from? Had this money been spent on schools and students in rural areas, it would have been even better,” he said.
As part of the campaign, Dipke urged parents to examine the availability of basic facilities in their local government schools and conduct social audits to identify gaps.
He also called upon village sarpanches and other community representatives to take the lead in seeking improvements and ensuring that schools provide a suitable learning environment for children.
The nationwide initiative aims to encourage communities to question authorities about school infrastructure, facilities and educational standards while keeping government schools at the centre of public discussion.
Dipke said sustained public participation and accountability would be essential to ensure that children from rural and economically weaker families receive access to quality education.
