MOCKERY OF RIGHT TO EDUCATION
(A Report by RETF on visit to 3 MCD Schools in Nangloi area of Delhi on 05.08.2006)
Right to Education Task Force (RETF) team consisting of Mr.Ashok Agarwal, Advocate and Convener, RETF, Mr. Rahul Verma, Advocate, Mr. Manish Bansal and Ms. Ranjana Dass, Law Students visited three MCD Primary Schools at Nithari Village, Kirari Village and Prem Nagar Part III, in Nangloi area of Delhi on 05.08.2006 to ascertain the status of basic amenities and infrastructure in these schools.
(i) MCD Primary School, Nithari Village, Nangloi, Delhi-41
The Team reached at this school at 8.30 a.m. This school is a double shift school. Girls study in the morning shift and boys study in the afternoon shift. 2816 girls are studying in the morning shift and almost equal number of boys is studying in afternoon shift. There are 13 classrooms in total out of which one is used as Principals room. Except students of classes V and nursery, all other sits in open or in corridors. The classrooms were not having tube lights. At the time of visit, classes I to IV consisting of more than 1000 girl students were being held in open on the ground. At about 9 am, the temperature was around 36-37 degree Celsius. It was hot and humid. In such situation, education of children is impossible. Though the teachers were also found sitting in open with the students but education was hardly taking place. This situation is there for the last one year when 15 classrooms, which were constructed seven years ago, have been declared dangerous. About 30% students were absent from school. Have the authorities ever thought of what is happening with these tiny tots when they are forced to pass their entire school hours sitting open under the sky facing direct sunrays. It is surprising that the school authorities are so insensitive that they have not at all bothered to ensure that these children are provided with minimum shelter facility for study. It is a deliberate criminal negligence on the part of the Municipal Commissioner and he must be held responsible for it.
Toilet Block:
Though toilet block is there but non functional. It was in bad shape and there was no water arrangement. The students were easing themselves in open.
Blackboard:
In one classroom, one side of the Iron Gate was being used as blackboard. In that classroom, there was no electricity, no white washing, no tube light, no fan and no windowpanes. In the ground, where more than 1000 students were sitting and several classes were being held, there were only 3 blackboards in three classes.
Drinking Water:
There was practically no drinking water facility available in the school. There was one drinking water tank. Only one tap was working and that too in very slow motion. The water tank was totally covered with cemented boundaries and it cannot be opened for cleaning. This tank was constructed two years ago out of the Pupils Fund and since then, it has never been cleaned.
Tat patti:
There is inadequate tat patti in the school. Several students had brought their own tat patti from their homes. Some students were found sitting even without tat patti. There were no desks in the classrooms.
Teachers:
The sanctioned strength of teachers is 65 inclusive of one Principal. The total teachers available are 40 inclusive of one Principal. Thus, there are 25 unfilled vacancies of teachers. As per the teacher-students ratio norms of 1:40, the teachers strength should not be not less than 71. On average, each teacher is handling more than 70 students. The computer classroom was non-functional due to the absence of computer teacher.
Cleanliness:
There was only one lady sweeper. On the day of the visit, she had called her two sons to help her to clean the school. Lot of garbage was there which the sweepers were taking away. It is very clear that it was due to our visit, otherwise; no one bothers to keep the school clean.
(ii) MCD Primary School, Kirari village, Nangloi, Delhi-41
It is a double shift school. In the morning shift, there are 50 Sections with about 3000 girl students and almost equal number of boys is studying in afternoon shift. At the time of visit, 2043 students were present in the school. About 900 students were absent on that day. That constitutes about 30 percent of the total strength of the students. Recently, several dilapidated classrooms were demolished and the malwa was being removed. Due to shortage of classrooms, each classroom was having two sections with two teachers. Several classes were held in open or in corridors. In one big room, we found five classes were simultaneously going on. It was almost like a fish market where no serious studies could be possible. There was garbage lying in front of a classroom. The staff told us that they have complained about it to the authorities many times but no proper action has been taken till date. Electricity is one of the major problems being faced by the MCD schools. In this school also, the classrooms was without tube lights and fans are not in working conditions. Due to shortage of the rooms, the classrooms are used as storeroom where children are also studying. There were no windowpanes, no desk in classrooms.
Toilet Block:
Though there were toilet blocks but all in bad shape and were not regularly cleaned. In two toilet blocks, drain water was over flowing from toilets and thus, toilets could not be used. There was a tank on toilets but it was not properly cleaned. The number of toilets is very less in comparison to the number of children in this school. The students were easing themselves in open
Drinking Water:
There was no drinking water tank in this school. The school is totally dependent on direct supply of the water from DJB. Whenever, there is no direct water supply in that area, the school has no alternate water facility for students.
Tat patti:
There is inadequate tat patti in the school. Several students had brought their own tat patti from their homes. Some students were found sitting even without tat patti under them. There were no desks in the classrooms. The classrooms were overcrowded. Had there been no absenteeism of large number of students, all students of the class would not be able to sit inside the classroom. The overcrowding classrooms are nothing but cruelty towards students and teacher. The school administrators sitting in AC rooms are not bothered about it.
Teachers:
The sanctioned strength of teachers is 48 inclusive of one Principal. Only filled up vacancies were 33. As per the teacher-students ratio norms of 1:40, the teachers strength should not be less than 75.
Cleanliness:
There was only one sweeper in school. The school was clean that day due to our visit, otherwise; no one bothers to keep the school clean. There was no attendant in this school.
(iii) MCD Primary School, Prem Nagar Part III, Nangloi, Delhi-41
It is a double shift school, which was started on 5th July 2006. It is fully tented school. There were 2000 girl students in this school at present and almost equal number of boy students is studying in afternoon shift. This school is an excellent example of absence of humanity towards tinny tots on the part of municipal authorities running these schools. By the time Team reached the school, it was around 11.30 a.m. and the temperature would be 38-39 degree Celsius. It was very hot and humid. The dusty air was all around the school. The sunrays were very sharp. This school is situated just adjoining to a cremation ground. The school has only a toilet block constructed, which was too used as a store. The children were easing themselves in open. The teachers even if they wish to teach the children cannot do so in the present environment of the school. Is any body sitting in the Government responsible for this deliberate criminal negligence? The school appears to be a refugee camp rather than a school. Even refugee camp may have some basic amenities for refugees. Unhygienic conditions all around the school were quite visible. No educational activities are at all possible in the prevailing conditions. Hundreds of students though enrolled themselves in the school with the pious hope of receiving quality education are not attending classes due to the horrible conditions of the school. The conditions were such that the same are not conducive for the educational environment. The prevailing conditions of the school are responsible for large-scale dropouts and growth of child labour. If these conditions continue to prevail, the object of achieving quality education would only remain a dream.
Toilet Block:
No toilet facility at all.
Drinking Water:
No drinking water facility at all.
Tat patti:
There is no tat patti available in the school. All students have to bring their own tat patti from their homes. Most of the students were found sitting even without tat patti.
Teachers:
The sanctioned strength of teachers is 20 inclusive of one Principal. As per the teacher-students ratio norms of 1:40, the teachers strength should not be less than 50 for this school. The present teacher-pupils ratio is 1:100 in this school.
Cleanliness:
No sweeper and no attendant in school. The school was extremely dirty.
Concluding Observations and Suggestions:
1. The conditions of three schools explained above are more or less similar in all other 1800 + municipal schools in Delhi. The large-scale dropouts and growth of child labour have direct nexus with these conditions of schools. The municipal authorities have made mockery of right to education. The Municipal Commissioner who is heading Municipal Corporation has never visited these schools. The municipal authorities are totally insensitive to the educational needs of the children. They are not interested in the education of the children of the masses going to these municipal schools as their own children are going to elite public schools. It is a case of cruelty and torture. The Honble Delhi High Court has repeated passed orders and directions to the Government and Municipal Authorities to ensure basic amenities in their schools but all in vain. The Municipal Commissioner has committed contempt of the Honble High Court by deliberately disobeying the Court Orders and submitted false affidavits in the Court claiming that they are providing all basic amenities in all their school. In such cases of deliberated criminal negligence Municipal Commissioner should be held personally responsible. It amounts to contempt to Honble Delhi High Court.
2. The absence of basic amenities in these schools adversely affects the quality and standards of education, which results initially in large number of children absenteeism and thereafter-large number of dropouts. There are 25% to 30% dropouts in municipal schools. How long a girl child would continue in a school if the school does not have facility of clean toilet? Is it not a serious national wastage? In this way, the govt. promotes child labour on one hand and privatization and commercialization of education on the other hand.
3. MCD primary schools Prem nagar, Part III, Nangloi is situated adjoining to a cremation ground. The cremation ground needs to be relocated or closed down immediately as the same is in violation of right to education and also contrary to the DMC Act, 1957. The presence of cremation ground adjoining to school would not only develop fear in the minds of the tiny tots but would also adversely affect the quality of education of the children.
4. At least 2 sweepers should be posted in morning shift for the school where the strength of the children exceeds 600. Authorities are violating the fundamental and human rights to education of these children with impunity.
5. Basic amenities like proper classrooms, drinking water, toilet block with one seat for 40 children, black boards, electricity, fans, tube lights and cleanliness must be ensured in each school. The Honble Courts have held that these are the part of the right to education.
Ashok Agarwal
Advocate
Convener, RTEF
Mob.: 9811101923
07.08.2006