Vinit Wahi / NEW DELHI
Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister, Manish Sisodia announced the launch of “Mission Buniyaad” for improving learning levels of children studying in Delhi government schools as well as municipal schools. The programme is being designed on the lines of Delhi government’s Chunauti scheme, after two rounds of meetings chaired by Dy CM Manish Sisodia with MCDs, the Delhi Cantonment Board and NDMC.
Announcing the programme, Sisodia said, “The National Achievement Survey (NAS) has shown that the entire country, including Delhi, has a crisis of learning in our schools. The NAS survey demonstrates that close to half of all children in our schools are not able to read their grade level textbooks. In the secondary schools run by the Delhi government, various programs we initiated have improved reading ability by about 20%.
However, children in primary schools that are under the MCDs are not able to read and thereafter when they study in secondary schools they find it difficult to cope up with the advanced levels. It is in the interest of the children of Delhi that the efforts made by the Delhi government be extended to MCD schools as well. I am happy that all municipal bodies are on board.”
The municipal bodies of Delhi that run primary schools in the city will raise a cadre of teachers who will drive the programme, in a manner similar to the Mentor Teacher Program run in Delhi government schools. One teacher will take care of five schools and will train teachers of these five schools on enhancing readability of children. The entire program will run from Classes 3 to 5 in MCD schools and in Classes 6 to 8 in Delhi government schools. All officials of the Education Department will run the campaign in mission mode for three months from April to June, 2018.
“In the days to come, children will undergo a reading level assessment based on which they will be enrolled in specialised Mission Buniyaad classes in their schools. For children who are not able to read, I request all parents to cancel their vacation plans during summer holidays and send their children to school for remedial classes. I appeal to parents of children to support the Delhi government and MCDs in this campaign in the interest of their children’s future,” said Sisodia.
The Delhi government has taken several steps to upgrade the quality of education provided in government schools. Mission Buinyaad will ensure that a similar attempt can be made to improve the quality of education to children in MCD-run primary schools as well.