11 lacs students of MCD & Govt Schools are without books

To

The Hon’ble Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely
Delhi Education Minister,
9, Shamnath Marg,
Delhi-110054

Sub: 11 Lacs students of primary sections of MCD & Govt Schools are without books.

Respected Sir,

You are aware of the fact that the Delhi Government and the MCD run schools have reopened from 01.04.2009 but more than 11 lacs students of primary sections of these schools have yet not been provided with the books. The authorities have made mockery of the fundamental right of every child to receive free and compulsory quality elementary education. The books are stated to be under printing and would be made available to the students only after July 2009. The Government has totally failed to perform their constitutional obligations. Sir, the parents, the students and the social activists have gathered in large number in front of your house today to lodge their strong protest against the said inaction on the part of the Government of Delhi.

It is submitted that the authorities manning these schools are not interested or concerned at all about the education of the children studying in these schools because their own children are going to unaided affluent private schools. It is no less a criminal negligence and a great injustice to these children. One can imagine the fate of the students without books. In absence of the books, even the teachers are finding difficult to teach the students as the syllabus has been changed from this academic year of 2009-2010.

The authorities are constitutionally obliged to ensure that the education of the students studying in the State run schools should not suffer at all. However, the experience reminds us that despite all tall claims made by the Government, the ground reality is that the students studying in these schools get step-motherly treatment at the hands of the Government. The non-availability of the books for the students is an example. The Government is totally apathetic to the educational needs of the students because these students belong to the underprivileged sections of society.

It is submitted that the aforesaid inaction on your part to provide books to the students on time tantamounts to violation of human and fundamental rights of the students as guaranteed to them under Article 14 (Right to Equality), Article 21 (Right to life with dignity), Article 21-A (Right to Education) and Article 38 (Right to Social Justice) read with U N Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). It is submitted that any further delay in providing books to the students would be detrimental to the interest of the students.

It is, therefore, requested that the books may be made available to all the students immediately.

With regards,
Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
Founder President