School thik karo: Abhijeet Dipke targets neglect of government schools across India

As India marks Independence Day, CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke is set to launch the 'School Thik Karo' campaign from Maharashtra's Hingoli district, calling for greater focus on government schools and basic facilities.

In Short

• Parents have been urged to inspect basic facilities in local schools
• Dipke said citizens can press governments by questioning school conditions
• He questioned spending on political publicity amid poor rural infrastructure

Government schools need to become a bigger political and public priority, according to CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke, who is set to launch the ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign from Hingoli in Maharashtra on Independence Day.

Before leaving for his native village of Santuk Pimpri, Dipke alleged that government-run schools have remained neglected across states, regardless of which political party has been in power.

“People have now understood that they should talk about education, which is the need of the hour,” he told PTI, arguing that citizens can push governments to act by asking questions about the state of schools.

The campaign is aimed at improving government schools in villages and bringing greater attention to their infrastructure and functioning.

‘WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING?’

Dipke also questioned spending on political events and publicity while raising concerns about the condition of rural schools.

He referred to large banners put up across Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar during a Tiranga rally attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Dipke said the rally itself was a positive event but questioned the money spent on banners placed every 40–50 feet. He argued that some of those resources could instead have been used for schools and students in rural areas.

“Had this money been spent on schools and students in rural areas, it would have been even better,” he said.

FROM SOCIAL AUDITS TO VILLAGE ACTION

Dipke had announced the nationwide campaign earlier this week and urged parents to conduct social audits of basic facilities in their local government schools.

He has also called on village sarpanches to take responsibility for improving school infrastructure.

The campaign comes with a wider question about how India prioritises public infrastructure. Dipke pointed to new government buildings and asked why similar attention has not been given to schools 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?” he asked. He also questioned whether children of farmers and labourers are being treated as part of India's future.

THE BASICS ARE STILL MISSING

According to Dipke, many children in villages continue to face basic barriers to education. Some have to walk long distances to reach school, while others study in institutions without reliable drinking water or toilets.

The ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign seeks to put these everyday problems at the centre of public discussion.

By asking parents, village representatives and communities to inspect schools and raise questions, Dipke hopes the campaign will push authorities towards visible improvements.

The campaign is therefore not only about building or repairing schools, but also about making communities ask whether government schools are providing children with the basic conditions they need to learn.

- Ends