Directorate of Information & Publicity
Government of NCT of Delhi

DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY
GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI
***

New Delhi: 09/10/2016

• Every Delhi Child Can Read campaign enters decisive phase – Reading Melas begin

The preparation for the Every Child Can Read programme has entered into its decisive phase with the State Council for Educational Research & Traning (SCERT) holding training sessions for the School Management Committee members on Saturday and providing them with the requisite material, the SMC members will now organise Reading Melas on all Sundays leading upto the big day of 14th November.

Reading Melas began today and will take place on all Sundays till 14th November.

After the “Every Child Can Read” plan was unveiled by the Directorate of Education, government schools are making all efforts possible to ensure that each and every child from Class 6 to 8 will be able to read grade-level textbooks by 14th November, Children’s Day - a target set by the Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Mr Manish Sisodia early last month.

Even as a multi-pronged effort to teach students to read continues inside the classroom, the Government has decided to strengthen the programme through community initiatives. Until 14th November, on every Sunday, School Management Committee (SMC) members will organise 'Reading Melas’ in community spaces or schools, where children and their parents will jointly work on ensuring the children's ability to read

 Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said about the programme, “Our efforts to transform education require active support from members of the community that the children are from. If an environment of academic rigour and learning is created, children will be encouraged to pursue educational prowess. Reading Melas will bring together schools, parents, children and the community in non-classroom spaces for the first time.”

Volunteers identified by SMC members will conduct the Melas and use various Government-provided tools through which reading can be learnt in a fun way. Various activities and games involving children and their parents will be organised to improve their ability to read letters, words, sentences and paragraphs. The first few Melas were conducted today on a pilot basis, and beginning next Sunday there will be more than 250 such Reading Melas across the city.

This initiative is aimed at closely integrating the community in the educational pursuits of children, so as to create an environment of learning. It is also an attempt at increasing parent awareness about their children's learning levels and involvement in their academic progress.

The Government is committed to enhance the condition of government schools so that affordable, quality education is available to all. Chunauti 2018 & “Every Child Can Read” programs are two of the most important steps in that direction

The Delhi Government has outlined an innovative and effective strategy to enhance the learning levels of children studying in Delhi’s Government schools. Since the beginning of the year, the Government's 'Chunauti 2018’ Academic Plan has energized teachers, children and even parents.

****