Delhi govt to support studies of kids who lost parents during Covid-19

The education department directed that such students may be adjusted in the same school, if running on DDA or government allotted land, for free without any draw of lot and after approval from all authorities.

The Directorate of Education (DoE) on Thursday asked all its district officials to ensure children who lost either one or both their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic continue their schooling uninterrupted.

These students are entitled to free textbooks, writing material, and uniforms till Class 8, for which the government reimburses a fixed amount to the schools.

“All DDEs (deputy director of education) of districts are directed to ensure that children who have become orphans or lost a parent after March 2020 either due to Covid-19 or otherwise... such orphans need due attention to enable them to continue their education in the school,” said Mohinder Pal, DDE (Right to Education).

The education department directed that such students may be adjusted in the same school, if running on DDA or government allotted land, for free without any draw of lot and after approval from all authorities.

“Or, such students may be treated as a student studying under economically weaker section/ disadvantaged group category and reimbursement may be paid by Directorate of Education... After [they pass the] class, they may be given admission in any government school,” Pal said in the circular.

A senior official of the education department, requesting anonymity, said, “The order has been issued so that our district education department officials and our heads of schools who are in contact with private schools can consult among one another and collect data on their situation under present circumstances. We will then move forward to ensure that their learning is not disrupted.”

According to the Right to Education Act, 25% of seats in entry-level classes — nursery, kindergarten and Class 1 — in all private schools are to be reserved for the EWS/DG category, which includes 3% reservation for children with special needs. These students are entitled to free textbooks, writing material, and uniforms till Class 8, for which the government reimburses a fixed amount to the schools.

Till June, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) had identified at least 2,029 children in the city who lost either one or both of their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic and shared these names with the Women and Child Development department to ensure that the eligible beneficiaries can avail of the government schemes.

“Of these, 67 children have lost both their parents whereas 651 children have lost their mother due to Covid and 1,311 have lost their father due to Covid,” DCPCR said in a statement in June.

During the fourth wave from March to May, Delhi saw over 13,000 recorded Covid-19 deaths and over 786,000 infections. On May 18, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced ₹50,000 relief for families of people who died of Covid-19, free education, and ₹2,500 per month till the age of 25 for those orphaned because of the pandemic.