SDMC will launch helpline for parents to register complaints

NEW DELHI: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will launch a helpline where parents can register complaints or queries related to absent teachers, admission delay, poor infrastructure, quality of food among other issues.

The helpline number will be launched during a mega parentteacher meeting to be held on July 29 and will be supervised by the SDMC mayor, education committee chairman and officials concerned.

“Since it won’t be possible to visit all 581 schools regularly and assess teachers’ performances, this helpline will make communication easier with parents. They can even approach us if government subsidies do not reach on ti me,” Nandini Sharma, south corporation’s education committee chairman, said.

“It will help us to get regular updates about the quality of education provided at MCD’S primary schools, improve enrolment rate and bring in more transparency in the education system,” Sharma said.

The decision to introduce the helpline was taken after the municipal corporation received complaints about teachers not attending classes regularly, improper infrastructure and other problems.

A weekly meeting will be organised at the headquarters where complaints and issued raised by the parents will be discussed in detail. Zonal officials will need to give updates on water and electricity supply in schools. “If required, senior officials or the education committee chairman will talk to the parents and visit the schools,” an SDMC official said.

Since students i n MCD schools will not be eligible for government subsidies if they don’t have Aadhaar number, the civic agency is planning to hold camps at schools on July 29.

“During the PTM, parents can fill the forms to get Aadhaar numbers for them and their kids. The initiative will speed up the process of transferring money for buying school uniforms directly to their bank accounts,” an official said.

THE HELPLINE NUMBER WILL BE LAUNCHED DURING THE MEGA PARENTTEACHER MEETING ON JULY 29