MUSLIM GIRLS COMING FORWARD TO STUDY - DELHI GOVT. SCHOOLS SAY “NO SEAT”

SOCIAL JURIST
A Civil Rights Group

To
Hon’ble Smt. Sheila Dikshit,
Chief Minister,
Govt. of NCT of Delhi,
Delhi Secretariat, I.P. Estate
New Delhi-110002
July 11, 2010

Sub: Muslim Girls Coming Forward to Study - Delhi Govt. Schools say “No Seat”

Respected Madam,

We have the honor to bring to your kind notice that none of the Delhi Govt. Schools of the area having been approached by the parents of the girl students namely, Kumari Firdosh and Kumari Rabiya is willing to grant admission to these girls in classes VII and VIII respectively saying “ No Seat”. These girl students are the daughters of Mohd. Nafish, residing at B-4/147, Sri Ram colony, Rajiv Nagar, Delhi-110094 (Mob-9810439382, 9718488458).

We have come across hundreds of Muslim girls coming forward to study in Delhi Government and MCD schools but the schools have invariably denied them admission on one pretext or the other. We are grateful to their parents that they have encouraged their daughters to study but we are sorry to say that the government schools are not willing to provide them education. The fact is that the parents are providing opportunity to their children to go to school but the government has utterly failed to provide them education on the illegal and unjust pretext of lack of infrastructure. Is it not a national shame that the government is not prepared on the supply side, even after nearly 63 years of independence? Needless to say that Justice Rajinder Sacher Committee in its report has revealed the poor status of the education of Muslim children in our country.

It is submitted that both these girls have passed classes VI & VII respectively from a recognized school, namely, A.K. Junior High School, Village-Belna, J.P. Nagar, Amroha (U.P.) in the academic year 2008-2009. They are having valid mark sheets and School Leaving Certificates duly counter signed by the competent authority. There is no justification with the schools to deny admission to these girls. It is no less a mockery of the Constitution of India and of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE 2009).

It is submitted that the parents of these girls have obtained transfer certificates on 14.06.2010 and got them counter signed by the competent authority. It is unfortunate that since then till date, the parents & the girls are running from pillar to post for admission in any Govt. School, but no school is willing to grant themadmission on the pretext of “No Seat in the School”. The parents have approached Rajkiya Sarvodaya Kanya Vidayalaya, Khajoori Khas, Delhi-110094 and Govt. Senior Secondary Girls School, Khajoori Khas, Delhi-110094. When these schools denied admission, the parents approached Education Officer with a written application dated 28.06.201. The Education Officer made an endorsement on application and referred them to HOS of the school. When the parents approached the school, the school told them that the strength of “the students has already crossed the saturated point of 500 students and the admission could not be given”. Thereafter the parents again approached the Education Officer on 30.06.2010 and the Education Officer again made an endorsement on the application and referred them to HOS of SKV, Khajoori Khas. The parents went to the school and requested for the admission but the same was not granted. The parents again approached the Education Officer on 30.06.2010 and the Education Officer again made an endorsement on the application and referred them to HOS, Govt. Girls Senior Secondary School Khajoori Khas. When the parents approached the school, the school denied admission on the alleged ground that “there was no seat available in the school”. Thereafter, the parents and the students approached the Deputy Director of Education, District North-East on 09.07.2010 and even after waiting for nearly 5 hours, the Deputy Director of Education did not meet them and moreover the gates of the Deputy Director’s Office were bolted from inside and all the parents and students waiting to meet the Deputy Director of Education were turned away saying that “meeting hours were over”. It all reflects the dirty state of affairs in the education department of the government of Delhi.

It is submitted that the parents have now approached us with a written complaint dated 09.07.2010. Copies of the said complaint and other documents are enclosed hereto for your ready reference. It is submitted that the aforesaid action on the part of the schools is totally illegal, unjust, and arbitrary and amounts to abdication of their constitutional and statutory duties and functions. The girl students have constitutional and statutory right to study. It appears that Right to Education has no meaning for these girl students and the Government has been making all false claims.

You are, therefore, requested to kindly intervene in this matter and to direct appropriate authorities to forthwith grant them admission these girls students in any government school nearly their residence.

With regards



Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
Advisor, Social Jurist
M-9811101923