BJP left HP in economic turmoil and neglect: Edu min

Shimla: Education minister Rohit Thakur on Saturday criticised the previous BJP govt for leaving behind a legacy of economic chaos, neglect, and missed opportunities for the people of Himachal Pradesh.
Pointing out that the Congress govt inherited an overwhelming debt burden of Rs 75,000 crore from the so-called ‘double-engine’ govt, the cabinet minister said this has left the state’s economy in a complete mess.
He accused the previous BJP govt of mismanaging the education system, referring to it as a “tragic legacy”, and stated that the Congress government now faced the responsibility of addressing their chaotic administration. The state’s education system, under the BJP, was in a deplorable state where the education system ranked 21st in the ‘National Achievement Survey of 2021’, a sharp drop from its once-glorious standing of 3rd rank, he added.
The education minister said the Congress govt inherited a situation where 350 schools were operating without teachers, 3,400 schools had only one teacher, and more than 12,000 teaching positions in the education sector were vacant. “As per Asar’s report. the performance grading index, once a point of pride nosedived to a dismal 18th position. By the end of their term, Class 8 students were struggling to read a basic Class 3 textbook,” claimed Thakur. He added that in stark contrast, the present Congress govt had developed 850 institutions as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ to ensure quality and inclusive education for children in the state.