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New Delhi, April 7: While all eyes are now set on MCD Elections 2017, scheduled for April 23, a visit to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) run MCD schools will give you a pretty fair idea of how east Delhi civic body fared in last five years. While most of the MCD schools in east Delhi have been maintained in view of making the school environment perfect for kids, the reality tells you something else. The MCD schools in the capital city might look no lesser than private ones but the availability of books and internet is what keeps these students behind, every single year.
“There is a computer lab here but internet access hasn’t been given to us. There is a computer in the principal’s room as well but that can only be used to mark our attendances. Even if they (EDMC) can’t provide internet or even computers, at least provide books on time for the new session started on April 1. Give them something to carry on,” said Manoj Kumar (name changed), teacher at east Delhi MCD school in East Vinod Nagar.
Kumar told india.com team that the MCD schools don’t usually get books on time. “We have got books of first and fifth standard this time. We are still waiting for books for other classes. The students are making use of the old stock for now because they have to do something; they can’t just come and leave,” Kumar added.
“It would have been better if they had books for this academic session on time. We are trying not to waste their time but April has already started and then they will have their summer vacations. Not having books is almost like wasting time,” he said. Kumar also asked why the education of these children isn’t being taken seriously by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation. (Also Read: Indira Camp, slum but a developed one; forget BJP-AAP, Congress is favourite here)
Even last year, books were not given to students on time. Parents of one of these children even filed a petition in the Delhi High Court to get the books. The government had then assured the parents of Savita who cannot afford textbooks that they would be given books on time. “Even if there had been an access of internet, these kids wouldn’t have suffered.
Another problem that the MCD school in East Vinod Nagar highlighted is that of the online accounts of the students. Since 2015, the three municipal corporations decided to transfer subsidies for bags, uniforms and scholarships to students only through bank accounts. However, a lot of students haven’t received their share of fund since they were yet to open their accounts.
While most of the students are yet to open their bank accounts and get their share of fund to buy books and uniform, the east corporation had earlier decided to settle this up by handing over the money as a “one-time settlement”. However, the other two civic bodies’ education departments officials pushed “subsidies only via bank accounts and not in cash”.
“We want to help children but some parents don’t have any proof of residence. We are helpless,” said principal of an SDMC school. However, some parents even claimed that they didn’t receive money despite having bank accounts. “My daughter didn’t get any funds last year despite having a bank account,” said Sudhir (name changed).
The story is different in another MCD school in Kalyanvas. “Our school hasn’t received books for nearly three classes while the EDMC is yet to send off some other titles, we are managing it by using old books,” said in-charge of the school. “Last year, we received funds for bags once the academic year ended while the maintenance fund came after the exams. What is the use of getting the fund with only a week to spend it?” teacher of an NDMC school said.
“Schools in our two biggest zones, north and northeast, have got books, and by April 15, all other schools will get them. We agree there has been a delay but we are trying to minimise it as much as possible,” said a government spokesperson.
The MCD provides Rs 500 to every kid of the SDMC schools and Rs 120 for school bags to every kid in NDMC-run schools. All the three MCDs provide Rs 500 to every girl child.
The MCD Elections 2017 is scheduled on April 23; the votes will be counted on April 26.
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