Over two lakh students studying in 388 primary schools being run by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) are yet to receive notebooks or stationery three months after the academic session began.
Rule
This is the sorry state of affairs in corporation-run schools even though the Delhi Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules provide that all students should be given free textbooks, writing material and uniforms. A differently-abled child has to be provided special learning and support material free of cost.
While the issue of what “writing material” means and whether it means just notebooks or it also includes stationery is being debated in a petition before the Delhi High Court, 2,10,000 students in these 388 schools are being taught without notebooks for the last three months.
“The students of the said schools in the past were given writing material consisting five subject notebooks and one drawing book. But in academic year 2016-17, not a single notebook has been given to them,” said advocate and activist Ashok Agarwal.
The All India Parents’ Association has now written to the Delhi Chief Secretary and the EDMC Commissioner highlighting the problem in its schools.
In a similar case of students of South Delhi Municipal Corporation schools not being issued notebooks, the Court had expressed its displeasure and asked how a student was expected to study without a notebook.
“Although the students are studying in primary schools run by the EDMC, it is ultimately the responsibility of the Delhi government to implement the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. It cannot act as mere spectator when poor children are denied their rights,” added Mr. Agarwal.
