The Indian Express              11.06.2013

Civic body plans to put corpn schools up for adoption

In a move to revolutionise the education system in municipal schools, South Municipal Corporation is planning to invite foundations to adopt schools that score low on various parameters.

In a meeting held on Monday at the corporation headquarters, and attended by representatives from various foundations, the chairperson of the education committee and the corporation's commissioner reportedly agreed to give away schools performing poorly for adoption.

Satish Upadhyay, the chairman of the education committee, said the corporation had sought "in principle" approval to get started on the process.

"There is a system in other countries, where foundations floated by the rich adopt schools, as part of community service, and work on them to make the institutions on par with public schools considered 'good'. We have discussed the framework of such foundations. Our aim is to balance the demand and supply for a competitive education system," Upadhyay said.

The councillor said the system would help build up the confidence that people used to have in corporation schools and would also improve the enrolment figures, which have been going down.

"What we are aiming at is a long-term change in the education policy, which will benefit students. People from the lower middle class end up paying Rs 600 - Rs 1000 to send their children to private schools that do not even meet the standards of many government schools," the chairman said.

Foundations that are been considered for the project are Azim Premji Foundation, Bharti Foundation, Shiv Nadar Foundation, Central Square Foundation, The Akanksha Foundation and Azad Foundation. Upadhyay said a third party — NGOs working in field of education — would grade the schools. Those schools falling in category C would be put up for adoption.

"Municipal school parameters, such as underutilisation of infrastructure, hygiene facilities, standard of students, will be compared to that of other schools. We believe in inclusive education and this move will strengthen the education system of the corporations," Upadhyay said.