People who do not like the school education in Gujarat should collect their children’s certificates and go to whichever state or country they like, instead of criticising the state where they have lived and grown up, Gujarat minister Jitu Vaghani said on Wednesday.

The education minister was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a school building in Rajkot, located over 200 kms from here. The function was attended by the parents of several school students.

He said the people who lived and grew up in Gujarat now find other states better in terms of school education, an apparent attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for its criticism about the quality of government schools in Gujarat.

“Certain people lived in Gujarat, grew up here, their children studied here, they carried out business here…But if you find any other state better (in terms of school education) – and I request this in the presence of reporters here – that whichever state or country you find better, go there after collecting your child’s (school leaving) certificate,” Vaghani said.

“I would like to tell the people who have the mentality to oppose that if they feel that everything here is in bad shape, then do not wait here even for a moment,” the minister said.

One can suggest ways to improve education, but should not say something about the government schools that would make parents and students feel helpless, he added.

“I can say with pride that quality and educated teachers are not in private (schools), but in government schools,” he said.

Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia had recently challenged Vaghani for a debate on the education system in Gujarat and Delhi after the state BJP unit put out a series of tweets critical of the education system of the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.

Recently, Kejriwal and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann conducted a roadshow in Ahmedabad, with the party aiming to contest all seats in the Gujarat Assembly election due in December this year.

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