‘Ensure education for street kids’

With an estimated 1 lakh street children still deprived of formal school education in the Capital, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) may soon start a campaign to bring these children to classrooms. HT reports.

With an estimated 1 lakh street children still deprived of formal school education in the Capital, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) may soon start a campaign to bring these children to classrooms.

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Delhi mayor Prithviraj Sawhney said a meeting of MCD officials and legislature would soon be called to work out a plan to convince parents of even lowest strata to send their kids to schools.

“We had run a similar campaign in 2008 and it was highly successful. We plan to have a similar scheme this year. There are a number of non-government organisations, which work in the filed of education for poor and deprived. We will take their help,” Sawhney said.

MCD runs 1,746 primary schools in Delhi and have more than 10 lakh children studying in them. Being an educationist himself, Sawhney said his focus is on improving and promoting education.

“Apart from free education, books, stationary, uniform and mid-day meals, the MCD also gives out scholarship to almost 70% of its students. We want our teachers as well as other employees to try and get as many children as possible who are otherwise deprived,” he said.

Sawhney said he has also asked principals and staff of all MCD schools not to turn away children who approach them for admission. With Delhi being the first state in India to effectively implement right to education act, Sawhney said basic primary education is every child’s right and he should not be refused it for want of some documents.

“There are thousands of poor who migrate from other state and do not have date of birth certificates. Applying for a certificate in Delhi is also a long and tedious process. I have asked schools to admit children even if they don’t have date of birth certificate,” he said.

“I have circulated my mobile number everywhere and any child who fails to secure admission in MCD school or is turned away by staff can directly contact me,” he added.