Soon, clubs in govt schools to utilise students’ ‘latent energy’

NEWDELHI: In a first, the Delhi government has decided to set up student clubs in its 1,100 schools to help pupils explore their creative side. The clubs, 12 in each school, will be managed by the executive councils for which elections will be conducted annually among the students.

According to director of the Directorate of Education, Sanjay Goel, five out of the 12 clubs will be for languages – Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Urdu and Punjabi – while seven will be set up under categories such as science, maths, sports/yoga, visual arts, performing arts and student council. “This is the first time we are setting up such clubs in government schools to promote co-curricular and sports activities among students. It will allow them engage in activities beyond the classroom and explore hidden talents,” Goel said.

There will be a club to create awareness about child rights among students. “It will be known as the ‘anti-bullying and child protection club’ wherein members will get opportunities to conduct debates and discussions over related topics. Students will also be encouraged to plan activities to create awareness about women safety at the campus,” Goel said.

The director added that the clubs will educate students on issues such as “ragging” and “bullying”. “Sometimes we receive complaints of ragging or bullying against students who come from municipal corporation schools to government schools in class 6. These clubs will help look into these issues and will make students aware of their rights,” he said.

The DOE has instructed all the head of the schools (HOS) to establish the clubs and conduct elections for their executive councils, including president, treasurer and three general secretary posts, by October 31.

Each club will have a teacher in-charge who will be nominated by the HOS as per their interest. Each student will be allowed to join a maximum of three clubs.

Officials of government schools hailed the initiative and said it will help students make use of their “latent energy” in a productive way.

“The students at government schools generally come from very humble backgrounds. They do not get much opportunity to indulge in extra-curricular activities and hence do not channelise their energy, which poses a risk of them getting involved in anti-social activities. These clubs will give them a new platform,” AK Jha, principal at the Sarvodaya Co-ed Vidyalaya in Rohini, said.

Meanwhile, students said they are excited to be a part of such clubs. “One of my neighbours who studies in a private school told me about these clubs. Now, we will also have clubs in our schools. I am so excited. I will join the English language club and will learn writing poetry,” Ravi Singh, a class 9 student at the Shaheed Hemu Kalani Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Lajpat Nagar, said.