Delhi to have its own school education board: Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Delhi will have its own school education board like other states, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Saturday. The state government approved the formation of the Delhi Board of School Education during a Cabinet meet.

The capital has 1,000 government schools and 1,700 private schools. All government schools and most private schools are affiliated to the CBSE, the chief minister said. About 20 to 25 government schools will be made part of the New Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE) in the coming academic year and their CBSE affiliation will be scrapped, he said. The schools that will be brought under the state board will be decided after discussions with school principals, teachers and parents.

In the next four-five years all the schools will be brought under it, Mr Kejriwal said at a press conference.

The DBSE will be aimed at imparting such education that prepares "fiercely patriotic" and self-dependent students who serve the society and the country in a selfless manner, he said. 

“The Board will bring in best international practices and high-end techniques in school education. It will impart education as per the aptitude of the students,” Mr Kejriwal added.

"The focus will not be on learning by rote. It will be on understanding (of concepts) and personality development," he said, adding that students will be assessed through the year. 

"We hope that all schools will voluntarily get affiliated to this board within four to five years," Mr Kejriwal said.

The DBSE will have a governing body headed by the education minister of the Delhi government and an executive body headed by a chief executive officer, Mr Kejriwal said.