Directorate of Information & Publicity 
DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY
GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI
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New Delhi: 23/10/2016
- Delhi's Reading Melas make the Sunday memorable for thousands of children
- Outreach and awareness amongst parents and communities about "Ability to Read" as foundation for children's education
- 'Every Child Can Read' campaign successfully enters the community with more than 50 Reading Melas held across Delhi
Delhi Government's 'Every Child Can Read' campaign entered into community spaces across Delhi this Sunday, as thousands of children and parents participated in 'Reading Melas'. Organised in parks, school grounds, community centres and other public spaces, the Melas were envisioned as an activity that would make the Government's Reading campaign a community effort. School Management Committee (SMC) members took it upon themselves to ensure that children and parents actually gain productively and also enjoy their Sunday holiday at the same time. The Melas were held across Delhi in areas such as Kondli, Janakpuri, Greater Kailash, Jahangir puri, Maviya Nagar, Patparganj,Narela, Wazirpur, Lajpat Nagar, etc.
Building up to the Melas, SMC members went door-to-door in their respective areas to create awareness about the Reading campaign and to invite all children and parents in the neighbourhood to participate. A week-long campaign to involve the community in students' election was conducted by SMCs. Assessment tools were distributed along with details of the Mela, so parents could identify non-reader children.
This was a unique attempt to involve parents and communities into the "Reading Campaign", so that efforts in the school get complemented at home.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Manish Sisodia, who is also the Education Minister of Delhi, attended a Reading Mela organised in Chander Vihar, to encourage children and parents who had gathered at the venue. He congratulated children who had recently learnt how to read and personally motivated others to continue to work harder. "Every child in Delhi should be able to read. That is the mission we have set for ourselves, and I am glad that the entire school machinery has been working tirelessly towards this goal. I congratulate SMC members for their selfless service in organising Reading Melas for children. Education is the pillar on which we have to build society, which is why our Government is committed to providing quality, accessible education for all," said the Deputy CM after his visit to the Mela.
The Delhi Government had conducted a Baseline Assessment in July this year, in which it was found that 74% of children enrolled in Class 6 were still unable to read their grade-level textbooks. The Government announced that it would begin working on this problem on a mission mode, and children who could not read earlier have made tremendous progress over the last few months. Reading Melas are one more effort towards ensuring that every child in Delhi will be able to read. The Melas will be held every Sunday all over Delhi in community spaces.
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