Volunteers of non-govt NGOs must provide documents at BMC-run schools

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has instructed NGOs working with the school education department to provide character certificates and educational documents of volunteers by August 31. Volunteers without the required documents will not be allowed to enter school premises. The BMC has been working with 15 NGOs to improve education in municipal-run schools. Some NGOs are unhappy with the decision but are willing to provide the documents. The secretary of Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad suggests that in addition to NGOs, the BMC should fill vacant teaching positions.

Mumbai: After a sports teacher of a civic-run school was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting four girls, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has instructed all non-governmental NGOs working with the school education department to furnish character certificates and educational documents of volunteers by August 31.

HT Image

Without the required documents, no volunteer will be allowed to enter the school premises, sources said. In BMC-run schools, people can volunteer to join the teaching and health departments among others.

An oral order was given to all assistant officers at the ward level to verify the documents of the volunteers of an NGO. Gangatharan D., joint commissioner, BMC, said, “We ordered to verify the documents of the volunteers appointed by an NGO in BMC schools. These documents are basic documents that are required for any job appointment.”

The civic body has been closely working with 15 NGOs to increase the level of education in BMC-run schools. A few of their area of expertise are foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) mission, physical and mental health of students, and bettering school infrastructure to providing teachers with subjects like physical education and craft.

Meanwhile, some NGOs are not happy with the decision, however, they are ready to provide the required documents. Criticising the overall management of the BMC education department, Shivnath Darade, secretary of Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad, said, “BMC education department can spend almost ₹1 lakh per child, which is enough to provide a good education, but the department fails to manage these funds. Many English-medium schools attached to BMC don’t have enough trained teachers, and many other teachers are always busy with non-educational work. This affects the quality of education, so BMC requires some help from the NGOs.”

Suggesting a solution, Darade said that apart from appointing NGOs for better education, BMC should fill vacant posts of teachers.