Schoolkids ensure they’re heard

Hundreds of children in government schools across Hyderabad have questions, queries and complaints. And now they are not afraid of asking them, reports Ashok Das.

This is what Ganesh, 10, a class IV student of a government upper primary school in Rangareddy district, wrote to his headmaster.

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At another government school in the old city of Hyderabad, Parveen Begum, 9, said: Class choti hai, paani girta hai (The classroom is small, and the ceilings leak).

Hundreds of children in government schools across Hyderabad have questions, queries and complaints. And now they are not afraid of asking them. A scheme called CLAP (Children Learning Auxiliary Programme) — part of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan — has ensured this.

So all they have to do is write what they want and put the paper in a red post box kept in their schools.

“They can write anything and everything; it can be about the school infrastructure, teachers and teaching methods, about the environment, cleanliness or any other issue, including adjustment problems. They are also encouraged to make suggestions,” said Tulasi Das, project coordinator.

“On an average, each school receives between 20-30 letters. The letters are opened at the end of the day and discussed. All good suggestions are not only debated but also implemented.”

The scheme is being implemented in 753 schools.