Mentors to check learning outcomes in Delhi schools 

Under new education scheme "Mission Buniyaad", mentors will be appointed to check the learning outcomes of schools run by the Delhi government and the municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs), Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday.

One mentor will take care of five schools and will train their teachers on enhancing readability of children of classes 3 to 5 in MCD schools and in classes 6 to 8 in Delhi government schools, he said.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio in the Arvind Kejriwal government, said that "Mission Buniyaad", designed on the lines of Delhi government's "Chunauti" scheme, was launched after two rounds of meetings with MCDs, the Delhi Cantonment Board and the New Delhi Municipal Council.

The National Achievement Survey (NAS) has shown that the entire country, including Delhi, has a "crisis of learning" in schools, he noted, adding that almost half of the students in Delhi, among other states, were below the "age appropriate level" in reading and in basic mathematics and "this big gap has to be bridged with a collective approach".

"In the secondary schools run by the Delhi government, various programmes we initiated have improved reading ability by about 20 per cent.

"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," he added.

"What is the benefit of teaching when they can't even read their books," he asked.

MCDs that run primary schools in 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.

Sisodia said that under the new education scheme, teaching coordinators or learning outcomes coordinators would be trained by the state government.

All officials of the Education Department will run the campaign in mission mode for three months from April to June.

"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," Sisodia said, underlining that the government would need the parents' support in making the scheme successful.

"I appeal to them to keep an eye on the performance of their kids.

"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," he added