The Times of India    24.08.2012

No tablet PCs for corporation schools

NEW DELHI: The erstwhile MCD's ambitious plan to give tablet computers to students in its schools has been put on hold due to shortage of funds. Sources say that increase in the cost of the tablet computer has forced the three new municipal corporations to scrap the proposal.

Post trifurcation, ruling BJP claims that the three corporations are facing a financial crisis and now it is not possible to implement this plan.

"We don't have a good source of income and the Delhi government has burdened %us with a loan of Rs 790 crore at a very high %interest rate. Now, we don't have money to fund the increase in cost of the tablet computers. And there are several important %projects that need to be attended to immediately," said V P Pandey, deputy chairman, standing committee, North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

According to sources, the project has been scrapped as the cost of the tablet has increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,500 (approx).

The Indian Express   22.08.2012

Panel nod for plan to let corporates, NGOs adopt municipal schools

The standing committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved the proposal to allow corporates, educational trusts and NGOs to adopt civic schools. The proposal is aimed at ensuring effective implementation of Right to Education (RTE) Act in public schools.

Under the recently proposed public-private partnership (PPP) model, BMC hopes to improve the quality of education at civic schools and bring it on a par with private school standards. The proposal will now discussed in the general body meeting for final approval, said BMC officials.

Three of the four types of PPP models are long term in nature. The ‘full school management with private partner teachers’ model allows a private partner to manage an existing or new BMC school and provide free and high quality education with its own teachers and prinicipal. Under this, the staff will be employed by the private operator.

The ‘full school support’ or FSS model is similar, but will use BMC school teachers. The officials expect the private sector partner to ensure better teaching methods and coaching support by imparting managerial inputs for improving the quality of education.

While the BMC will be the final authority for identifying and appointing private operators for schools, they can apply for adopting schools online. In case corporate houses are interested in running BMC schools in a joint venture with other private operators, both the partners have to furnish evidence of the agreement and details about the strengths and experience which both will bring in the partnership, an official said.

“With more students leaving civic schools for want of quality education, better standard of teaching, co-curricular activities and joining private schools, there is a dire need for a more refined approach to teaching in BMC schools. The private entities are expected to bring a sense of dynamism, competitiveness and enhanced managerial skills in civic schools,” said Rahul Shewale, Standing Committee chairman and Shiv Sena corporator.

The third form of partnership -- specific services partnership (SSP) -- entails specific services or inputs for improving the quality of curricular and co-curricular education in BMC schools. For example, support can be in form of running computer classes, language laboratories, special needs education, vocational programme among other things.

The BMC is also looking at short-term support from private organisations for teacher training, coaching support, vocational programmes, special needs education or one-time donation of computers, books, furniture and uniforms. While the long-term forms of partnership will be for a period of 10 years, the specific partnerships will be renewed after every three years, said officials.

Mohan Adtani, additional municipal commissioner, said, “We have ensured a strict selection criteria for these private partners.”

According to an internal report of the education department, applicants seeking to run a school or provide specific support will be marked out of a score of 100 based on their track record of running schools, focus on learning outcomes and concrete examples of impact on learning outcomes, proposed approach and detailed plan for school, strength of leadership and managerial team and ability to garner outside funds and sustain grants for any additional expenses,

To ensure that the programme is successful, the civic body will undertake third party assessment including student learning in subjects such as Mathematics and a second language and a school’s competence and overall performance. The funding — part of which will be borne by the BMC and the rest collected through philanthrophic sources — will be decided on the basis of the ratings a school gets through third party auditors and other factors.

“In case of poor performance of students, lack of improvement in other co-curricular activities, etc, the BMC can stop payment to those schools,” said a senior civic official.