MCD school students to get free bus service

Soon, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will ply buses to ferry students studying in its schools, for free.

Soon, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will ply buses to ferry students studying in its schools, for free.

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The free bus service will make it easier for students who reside in far flung areas to reach school. In its proposal, the MCD has decided to buy buses for the free transport scheme. The proposal has come after the MCD decided to transfer students from its ‘over-populated’ schools to those with fewer students to maintain student-teacher ratio.

According to senior officials, there are about 10 MCD schools where 3,000-7000 students study. Since it is difficult to arrange for adequate staff to manage such schools, it is best to transfer some of the students.

“Transferring students will mean some of them will end up travelling longer distances. Since the children belong to economically weaker sections, MCD is planning to provide free pick and drop facilities so that they don’t drop out,” said the official.

According to MCD’s education committee chairman Dr Mahinder Nagpal, these students will be shifted to a school which falls within a one-km radius of their previous school.

The education committee in the budget proposal has proposed the creation of a new head to provide students free transportation. These overcrowded schools are located in Najafgarh, Shahdara, Jahangirpuri and Jaitpur area of the Capital.

Dr Nagpal added that once the MCD House approves the proposal, the education department will purchase buses as per the requirement.