PATNA, May 28 -- In the election-bound Bihar, the education department has issued directive for organising competitions involving essay writing, debates, painting/poster competition for students of Class 6-12 in all the schools from June 26-30. The theme for the competition is 'Picture of Changing and Progressive Bihar' and revolves around all the important development and social welfare schemes launched by the Nitish government over the years. In a letter to all the district education officers (DEOs), the additional chief secretary (education) S Siddharth has written that the competition has been planned by the direction of education minister to add value to co-curricular activities. The topics for the competition include 'scholarship scheme for a golden and safe future', 'electrification, road connectivity and potable water to every household', 'cycle scheme, free books and study material'. 'Women's empowerment and their role in policy making', 'Bihar has changed so much', 'Deluge of jobs in Bihar', 'Sanitary pads for girls', 'Happy Bihar after prohibition', 'Quality Education Bihar's identity', 'Our Changing Schools', ' Changing face of Bihar's villages' 'Arts, Sports and present Bihar' and many more. However, the Oppsoition is not impressed. RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, who on Sunday organsied Education Conclave under the aegis of Bihar Policy Discourse, where speakers dwelt at length on the serious issues confronting Bihar's education sector and questioned the efficacy of the New Education Policy (NEP) without getting the basics right, said there was nothing wrong with holding seminars, debates and painting competitions, but the choice of topics for children shows the political slant. "The condition of Bihar schools is not hidden from anyone. Even basic infrastructure like rooms and facilities are lacking and asking children to sing paeans to the system is weird. Many schools are still running without adequate classrooms and teachers. Bihar has launched NEP but does not even have facilities for three-year preparatory classes. At the higher level, it is less said the better. Yet, if they want to make children write the virtues of failed govt policies, nobody can stop them, but people know what is what," he added. Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan said that the so-called double engine government could stoop to any low. "It is laughable when education in the state has gone for a toss, they could think of such topics. The problem is that the government is unable to see beyond its make-believe world," he added. Khan was also at the Education Conclave along with Karnataka education minister MC Sudhakar, CPI-ML general secretary Deepankar Bhattacharya, RJD general secretary Shashwat Gautam, economist Prof Prabhat Patnayak, JNU's Prof Praveen Jha and Prof Manisha Priyam of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) to highlight the challenges for Bihar in the field of education. Gautam said that the during the Sunday's conclave on the New Education Policy (NEP), eminent speakers like Patnayak, Manisha Priyam and Praveen Jha spoke about the fear for a state like Bihar of being left out and the Bihar government would do well to work on their concerns for lasting impact. "Blowing one's own trumpet will only add to the problems in future," he added....