The watchdog against corruption in government functioning, the Central Information Commission (CIC), has recently issued an order to state-run schools in Delhi to make public all the entitlements due to students.
“I am supposed to get money to buy books and school uniform. It is a law and we did not know about this, ” says 16-year-old Bharat, who lives in a one room shanty settlement in India’s national capital. He shares his house with six others in his family.
“My father is a tailor and mother looks after the home. This money will be a great help for them as we never have enough, ” he adds with a palpable sense of joy.
Much needed support
As per a scheme of the Delhi Government’s education department, it is mandatory for all government schools to provide every student with money for school uniforms and books. The support is aimed at keeping children from poor families in the schools.
Since the parents, most of whom are from lower income group or simply migrant daily wage workers, and the children were unaware of this right of theirs, the implementation has been near zero.
“A friend of mine who studies with me has an out-of- job father. He is ecstatic with this news. He will not have to look around for books from friends,” he adds.
“Getting this money at the start of the new session, which is a major worry for my single mother, will be so good,” chirps 14-year-old Ruby, who is a student of class 8th in girls government school in East Delhi’s Seemapuri area.
Leading from the front
“We knew about the schemes and when we found that while the children were not getting any assistance, the state exchequer record showed utilisation. This is unacceptable, ” says Ritu Mehra, a teacher-turned activist and works with Pardarshita.
“We approached the CIC with complaints against 950 government schools for failing to pass on the financial benefits to students, particularly to the ones from poor families, ” she says.
The complaint led to an order by the commission making it mandatory for all government schools to publicly display the list of assistance that students should get.
“This will address the issue of awareness and corruption, ” Ritu adds.
The partner organisation that works with the urban poor and their children by informing and organising them for citizenship rights like education and subsidised food, approached the school children directly to pressure teachers and school authorities.
Pamphlets were handed out to the students outside the schools and community meetings were held in slums with the parents.
“I went straight to the teacher with the pamphlets and asked why we don’t get this money for books and uniforms? ” says Ruby and adds: “We all will keep asking for it and remind our parents also. ”
Text: Parvinder/ActionAid