No admission to 70 pc kids in MCD schools, says survey

At least 70 per cent children were denied admission in Municipal Corporation of Delhi schools in three districts for not being able to produce documents such as transfer certificates local resident proof, immunisation card or birth certificate, states a survey.

The survey was conducted by Alliance for People’s Rights group along with CRY, a child rights group in four backward areas within Tahirpur village and Ghazipur village in east Delhi, Mahavir Enclave and R K Puram in south-west Delhi and Sangam Vihar in south Delhi on RTE violations. 

The report has been collated from information derived from RTIs, the BJP and Congress manifestos for 2007 elections, MCD budget for 2010-11 and 2011-12 and newspaper reports.

The report further states that 41.5 per cent of children going to such schools were asked to pay an admission fee and monthly fee but no receipt against payment was given to parents. Also, 11.32 per cent children had to pay towards a monthly parent teacher association fund. 

Vijaylakshmi Arora, director of policy and advocacy, CRY said, “There have been gross violations of several provisions of the Right to Education Act over the last two years. 

“The irony is that around a dozen states are yet to put in place a monitoring mechanism. So, we do not even know the exact extent of violations of the provisions of this Act.”

The survey further highlights the confusion about the actual number of schools functioning under the MCD. 

Survey

The survey states, “The total number of schools as of August 31, 2011 is 1,730. Of these, 744 are co-educational and have one shift. There are another 493 schools which run two shifts. But according to the list on the Delhi Department of Education’s website, there are still 1,780 schools. 

“In news reports over the period 2010-12, the number of schools cited by MCD officials, including the MCD Education Committee chairman, variously are 1,746, 1,790, 1,729 and 1,750.”

During the 11th Five Year Plan for Delhi, the MCD had started 35 new schools and proposed to open 20 schools in 2011-12. However, the website has not indicated any information on how many schools have been shut down so far. 

“In recent years, closure of government schools happening across several states is also emerging as an important issue which needs to be addressed as this directly affects efforts to provide greater access to education especially to marginalised sections of our society,” Yamini Aiyar, director, accountability initiative, centre for policy research.