12 years old girls want to study – MCD School says no

SOCIAL JURIST

A Civil Rights Group

To,

29.04.2010

1. Hon’ble Smt. Sheila Dikshit,

Chief Minister of Delhi,

Delhi Secretariat, I.P.Estate,

New Delhi-110002

2. The Commissioner,

Municipal Corporation of Delhi,

Town Hall, Chandni Chowk,

Delhi-110006

Sub: - 12 years old girls want to study – MCD School says no

Madam/Sir,

We have the honour to bring to your kind notice that MCD Primary School, Subhash Park, Delhi, has denied admission to two 12 years’ old out of school girls on the alleged ground of over-age.

Kumari Huma and Kumari Faria (M-9311206549), r/o Gali No. 1, I-7, Janta Mazdoor Colony, Zafrabad, Delhi, have approached the MCD Primary School, Subhash Park, Delhi on 22.04.2010 for admission in age of appropriate class but the school denied them admission saying that the school have no arrangement for their studies as they had never studied before.

On the request of these girls, one of the teachers of the school talked to me on telephone saying that it was not possible to admit these older girls who have never studied earlier. I told the teacher about the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act, 2009) in terms of which the school was obliged to admit these girls in the class appropriate to their age. However, the teacher did not agree to admit these girls in school.

These girls have now given to me their complaints dated 24.04.2010 stating that they have never gone to school earlier but now they want to study but the school has refused to grant them admission. They have been advised to first go to Aaganwari to study. They have also stated that the teacher after talking to me on telephone told these girls that Ashok Agarwal is crazy as he sends older children to school for admission.

It is submitted that despite express provisions in the RTE Act, 2009 to grant admission to the children in the age group six to fourteen in the age appropriate class, the schools are shamelessly denying admissions to the children of this age group. Moreover, they don’t hesitate to make any type of comments. I can only say that it is a reflection of their attitude towards the education of the children of the masses. There is an urgent need to change such attitude if the government is really serious to make RTE Act, 2009 a success.

It is, therefore, requested that you may kindly look into this matter seriously and address the problem highlighted herein.

With regards,

Ashok Agarwal, Advocate

Advisor, Social Jurist

M-9811101923