Admissions to nursery classes soon: Kejriwal

Since vaccines are here, we hope we will be able to open schools [for all classes] soon.

NEW DELHI: Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the state government will soon commence nursery admissions in private schools across the Capital, a process that has been delayed significantly this year due to the pandemic.

Officials of Delhi government’s education department had in December last year said they were considering skipping admissions to entry-level classes — nursery, kindergarten, and Class 1 — in view of the Covid-19 pandemic

Every year, the process for admissions to entry-level classes begins between November and December, for over 200,000 seats in around 1,700 private schools in Delhi.

The government also carries out a separate admission process for students from economically disadvantaged families to these classes for the 25% reserved seats, as allotted under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

Jyoti Arora, principal of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini, said, “The government should immediately release the notification, because parents have been waiting since November. The nursery admissions have already been delayed by more than a month. We have received calls from parents constantly.”

During the interaction officials of private schools in Delhi, Kejriwal also said schools may soon reopen for other classes as well.

“Children want to go back to schools and colleges but parents and teachers are worried. Since vaccines are here, we hope we will be able to open schools soon,” he said.

While schools have already reopened for classes 10 and 12, the government has allowed schools to call students of classes 9 and 11 back to campuses from February 5.

The interaction was attended by school principals under the banner of the Action Committee of Private Unaided Recognized Schools in Delhi.

Kejriwal emphasised the need for government and private schools to work together.

“The Delhi model of Covid-19 management was appreciated across the world because government hospitals and private hospitals worked together in close coordination. Similarly, government schools and private schools need to work together to create a world-class education system in the Capital.”

He said he is in complete favour of autonomy to private schools.

“At the same time, the Delhi government will not allow any injustice to happen to students and their parents,” Kejriwal added.