Sangrur (Punjab) [India], July 7 (ANI): After Punjab 'topped' the National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2024 rankings, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal has credited the 'achievement to the dedication of government school teachers and principals.'

Addressing a state-level celebration in Sangrur on Sunday, Kejriwal declared that Punjab's 'transformation' has only just begun. 'Our three major goals are to eliminate drugs, ensure every child gets world-class education, and guarantee employment for every youth.'

Slamming previous governments, the AAP Chief said they failed to create the right environment, but when the AAP government did, Punjab's educators performed miracles, turning the state into a national leader in education.

'There's a new confidence in government school students. People are saying--work against drugs is visible, and a revolution is underway in education,' he asserted.

Addressing a gathering, Kejriwal stated, 'Today's face-to-face interaction--where the Chief Minister of Punjab, senior Cabinet Ministers, top government officers, and teachers from across Punjab sit together--is nothing short of a revolution. Never before, under Congress, BJP, or Akali Dal governments prior to 2022, have teachers had such a direct dialogue with their Chief Minister and Cabinet Ministers. Many of you have served 20 to 30 years, yet no previous government ever created such a platform.'

Recalling the state of affairs before AAP came to power, Kejriwal highlighted, 'Before we won the 2022 elections with your overwhelming support, CM Bhagwant Mann and I used to campaign across Punjab. Back then, we met teachers on top of water towers protesting, many teachers he had to convince to come down. Teachers--who should have been in classrooms building the future of children--were instead protesting on water towers. But today, those same teachers are in dialogue with the Chief Minister. This is a transformation.'

Celebrating Punjab's top performance in a national survey, the AAP Chief added, 'I have come from Delhi to congratulate you on the NAS (National Achievement Survey) report, where Punjab has ranked number one. In 2017, Punjab was in the 29th position. This leap to the top is entirely because of the hard work of the teachers and principals.'

Acknowledging the enabling role of the government, he further added, 'Of course, this would not have been possible without the environment provided by the new Punjab government. We are the ground staff. The system previously lacked this kind of support. We improved infrastructure, sent teachers for training, even abroad and to IIMs, and launched several programs that made it clear: this government is serious about education.'

Reflecting on the 'old stigma' against government school teachers, Kejriwal recounted, 'There was a time when teachers in government schools were insulted, accused of being lazy and unwilling to work. People used to say government teachers don't teach, that lady teachers just sat under trees sewing clothes. But in Delhi, those same teachers delivered exceptional results. And here in Punjab, we didn't import new teachers from the moon--these are the same teachers who have served for decades. The fault wasn't yours, it was the fault of previous governments that exploited you, denied your rights, and forced you to protest when you only wanted to teach.' (ANI)