Punjab PTMs Spark Political Row Over AAP Scheme Videos

• Congress and SAD accuse AAP of using schools for publicity.
• Reported SCERT instructions seek videos about the Mawan Dheeyan scheme.
• Manish Sisodia defends PTMs and challenges Congress over education.
• Punjab minister denies issuing a directive to record parents’ videos.

GG News Bureau
Chandigarh, 10th Oct: Punjab’s statewide Mega Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs) have triggered a political controversy, with Opposition parties accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of turning government schools into publicity platforms for its welfare schemes.

The row centres on reported instructions issued by the Punjab State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) asking schools to seek feedback from mothers attending PTMs about the government’s ‘Mukhyamantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana’. Schools were reportedly asked to record mothers sharing their experiences and upload at least 10 videos on their respective social media pages.

The reported exercise has drawn criticism from Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), whose leaders allege that teachers are being diverted from their core responsibility of educating students to promoting the state government’s initiatives.

Opposition Accuses AAP of Politicising Education
Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira condemned what he described as the politicisation of education, accusing the AAP government of misusing school platforms for party propaganda.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot also criticised the reported instructions, calling the Mega PTMs a publicity exercise. He argued that asking teachers to record beneficiary testimonials and facilitate the presence of elected representatives risked shifting the focus away from students’ academic progress.

“Education must remain above politics, not become a tool for political branding,” Pilot said.

Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, alleging that parent-teacher meetings had been turned into marketing events for the government’s welfare scheme.

Majithia questioned whether teachers were being required to collect positive testimonials and upload a mandatory number of videos on school social media accounts. He argued that PTMs should focus on students’ learning outcomes rather than government publicity.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal Seeks Centre’s Intervention
Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also criticised the reported instructions, alleging that teachers were increasingly being assigned tasks unrelated to teaching.

She claimed that teachers had previously been asked to undertake surveys and other administrative exercises and were now being directed to record videos promoting government schemes.

Badal urged the Union Ministry of Education and the Central Advisory Board of Education to intervene, calling for an end to what she described as publicity work being imposed on teachers.

The Opposition has questioned the timing and purpose of the reported instructions, particularly with Punjab heading towards another Assembly election cycle.

Sisodia Hits Back at Congress
AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia defended the PTMs, challenging Congress to explain why it had not ensured quality government education during its years in power.

Addressing Pilot, Sisodia said parents meeting teachers to discuss their children’s strengths, weaknesses and academic performance was meaningful and should not be dismissed as a publicity stunt.

He argued that parents’ participation in government schools deserved recognition and urged critics to speak directly to families about the value of such interactions.

Punjab Minister Denies Government Issued Video Directive
Amid the political exchange, Punjab’s Health Minister denied that the state government had issued a notice directing schools to record videos of parents during the PTMs.

The minister accused the Opposition of deliberately creating controversy and said mass communication was being used to inform people about welfare schemes and available facilities so that eligible beneficiaries could benefit.

The denial has added another dimension to the dispute, as the controversy centres on reports of specific SCERT instructions asking schools to record mothers’ views about the scheme and upload the videos online.

PTMs Also Focus on Students’ Academic Progress
Despite the political controversy, Mega PTMs were held across Punjab to improve communication between parents and teachers and review students’ academic performance.

In Moga district, government schools discussed classroom progress, learning outcomes and areas requiring additional support. At Bhim Nagar Senior Secondary School, parents of 827 students were briefed on their children’s academic performance.

Teachers suggested measures to improve learning, while students who performed well were honoured with certificates. Parents said the meetings helped them better understand their children’s progress and identify areas where further support was needed.

The controversy now centres on whether the reported video-recording exercise was an appropriate extension of public outreach or an instance of government publicity entering school activities. While AAP has defended the broader purpose of the PTMs, the Opposition maintains that schools must remain focused on education rather than political messaging.