Underprivileged children to get classrooms at their doorstep

VASHI: Soon, a mobile van will come to the doorsteps of underprivileged children in the city so to give them an opportunity to study. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has decided to launch Shikshan Apalya Dari, an initiative to provide children of rag pickers and construction labourers with a chance to educate themselves.

The civic body, which has approved Rs50 lakh for the project, took the decision to ensure effective implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The Act provides free and compulsory education to all children between 6 and 14 years.

The pilot project will be launched in Airoli and Belapur

The van, with a classroom and teachers, will educate children in

Airoli and Belapur.

SUDHAKAR SONAWANE

by the education committee of the civic body from the academic year 2013-14, said Sudhakar Sonawane, chairman of NMMC’s education committee.

“Since children of construction workers are unable to attend schools because their parents have to move constantly in search of work, we have decided to introduce an education van with a classroom to provide education at their doorstep,” said Sonawane.

Civic officials said that they hoped that the mobile school would help children who had dropped out of school because of parents’ migration. Children of beggars can also benefit from the scheme the school on wheels.

“The van, equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms and teachers, will educate children in Airoli and Belapur. Classes beyond primary school will be conducted based on the number of students,” said Sonawane.

Because of the rise in construction work in the city, a large number of children may benefit because of the mobile education van.

Other initiatives that have been taken by the board recently include introducing a semiEnglish medium of instruction at NMMC schools and conducting training workshops for civic teachers.