Delhi govt to introduce Chunauti scheme in primary classes to improve learning

The Chunauti plan divides children into groups on the basis of who can read and write Hindi and English, and solve mathematical problems.

The Delhi government will now include primary students in its Chunauti initiative, which was aimed at correcting learning disparities.

Students of Class 6-9 were already segregated and now the government has decided to include students of Class 1-5 in the plan. (Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

The plan was first introduced for students in Class 6 to 9. The students were segregated based on their learning abilities and given special classes, in government and municipal schools. The same plan now be applied for students of Class 1-5.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state advisory council for education on Wednesday. “We have done it in Classes 6 to 9 but now we need to improve the learning levels right from Class 1,” said deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

The plan divides children into groups on the basis of who can read and write Hindi and English, and solve mathematical problems. A baseline assessment of the students of Class 6 found that 74% of 2,01,997 children could not read a paragraph from their own Hindi textbook and 46% could not read a Hindi story of Class 2 level.

The council also decided to rank private and government schools. Sisodia said the schools will be judged on parameters like academics, sports activities, cleanliness, exam results and extracurricular activities. “All aspects will be looked by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), which will engage a company to give the rankings,” he said.

The government will also conduct a door-to-door survey to compile data on students, who are out of school, with the help of Anganwadi workers. “Volunteers will find out about each of the out-of-school child in their area. They will take help of school management committees to get the children enrolled back in school,” Sisodia said.

He said the government will start a special helpline to tackle calls on this issue.

The council has also decided to give special training to principals and teachers on how to treat students from the economically weaker sections (EWS).

“They will be sensitised on how to integrate the kids. If need be then there will be social outreach for parents also. But, the issue of social integration for these students is still a concern. ” he said, adding that the government is trying to make the EWS admission process transparent and hassle free.

Speaking about World Bank’s ease of doing business rankings, Sisodia said that it was due to initiatives taken in Delhi and Mumbai. “We are happy about this result. This shows what happens when the Center lets the Delhi government function. We have taken so many initiatives such as giving industry licences,” he said.