JOIN USParents slam double shift in pvt schools
Parents have written to chief minister Sheila Dikshit expressing their resentment towards Delhi School Education Advisory Board’s decision to allow private schools to run a second shift after school hours, terming it as “disastrous.”
The advisory board headed by Kiran Walia, Delhi’s education minister had decided on Wednesday that unaided private schools will be given permission to run double shift schools soon.
Opposing this decision a parents’ body has mentioned in its letter to the CM that the board has “overlooked” the March 2010 report of the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Committee on “Development of a Policy Framework for Implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009” in Delhi schools.
“The report recommended that ‘All double Shift schools would need to be forthwith converted into single shift schools, with a proper teacher pupil ratio,” reads their letter.
They have argued that when this system does not work in favour of government schools it is highly unlikely that this will do any good to private schools. According to some parents an argument was raised during the board meeting about safety of girls during the second shift.
“A counter argument came that like government schools, private schools would also run morning shifts for girls and afternoon shifts for boys,” said Inderjeet Singh Gambhir, national general secretary of All India Parents Association.
Parents have argued that this will affect children’s play time as well. “Most of the schools do not have adequate playgrounds and with such shifts it will become difficult for children to play,” said a parent.
Schools had earlier approached the education department with their plea of allowing double shift schools to operate but the then director of education, P Krishnamurthy, had rejected this plea.