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To

Mr. Amit Singla,

Director,

Department of Education

New Delhi

Sub: ―Submission of Petition demanding intent and action for proper implementation

of Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009‖

Dear Sir,

Greetings from CRY – Child Rights And You!

As you are aware that CRY is a non profit organization and has been working for 33

years in over 20 states with our partner NGOs, donors and volunteers to ensure

children’s rights are protected and honored in India.

Children constitute more than 40 per cent of population of Delhi and the attention and

investment on children is crucial for its overall development. Yet, Child Rights and the

issues affecting children with regards to education within Delhi continue to get very

little attention.

During the year 2011 – 12 , CRY volunteers and citizens captured the dire state of

school infrastructure through photographs and sought public opinion on the same by

holding exhibitions at multiple public spaces. In total we received over 300 photographs

depicting the poor infrastructure, lack of or poorly maintained toilet facilities, access to

safe drinking water as well as safe access to school. We are sure that you understand

how crucial these infrastructures and facilities are to imbibe interest amongst children

towards school and education. In the process we also collected around 3000 signatures

of citizens in Delhi to support the demand for early action by the department to improve

the condition of the schools. Please find the dossier enclosed herewith.

We sincerely look forward to positive actions from your end to improve the quality of

infrastructure and making schools a better learning space.

Thanking you,

Your Sincerely,

Regional Director – North

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Click Rights

Campaign

Delhi, 2011

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Index

Contents Page Number

1. Acknowledgment…………………………………….. 3

2. About the Campaign …………………………….. 4

3. A study report of the toilets in Delhi Schools …………... 5

4. Photographs depicting the condition of schools ..………. 7

5. The Petition demanding change …………………….. 25

6. Glimpses of photo exhibition held …………………………….. 26

7. Media Press Release ………………………………………… 27

8. Glimpse of Media Coverage ……………………………. 29

9. Signatures attached as annexure ……………………3000 signatures.

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Acknowledgement

CRY- Child Rights And You is thankful to the untiring works of volunteers and interns

which has helped in bringing the issues and challenges faced by thousands of children

in Delhi to the forefront.

CRY also expresses gratitude to the citizens for extending support for the campaign by

being present for the exhibition and signing the demand for change petition. We also

would like to thank and acknowledge the support received from Advocate Ashok

Aggarwal and Shri Bharat Bhusan.

Last but not the least, CRY is grateful to all the children who continue to go to the

schools in their endeavor to learn and grow despite unfavourable conditions at the

schools.

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About the Campaign

The Click Rights Campaign by CRY - Child Rights and You - uses photography as an

advocacy tool for child rights in India. The last year being the first year of the campaign

we saw huge participation from students, professionals, home-makers, photographers -

amateur and professional, or simply individuals who want to make a difference in the

lives of Delhi’s children.

The government rankings of states in school education released by HRD minister Kapil

Sibal on February 1, 2011, shows that Delhi has slipped in both primary and upper

primary schooling. The Capital’s ranking among the country’s 35 states and Union

Territories has dropped from sixth to eighth in primary education over the past year and

from seventh to eighth in upper primary education over the same period, according to

the rankings. The rankings are based on an educational development index calculated

for each state by the National University for Educational Planning and Administration

(NUEPA) researchers based on data sent by state governments. The rankings are based

on states’ performances on numerous parameters including teacher availability, teacher-

pupil ratio, amenities and facilities, student enrolment and retention.

In India, Education and school’s infrastructure have never been a major concern of the

Govt.—a low budgetary allocation towards the better infrastructure in schools &

qualitative education always reveals this true story. Compared to other nations, India,

which is part of the International Security Council and a key player in international

market, still fails to ensure better infrastructure in-school security, separate and clean

toilets, supply of hygienic water etc.

The 2011 Click Rights Campaign focused around capturing the gaps in primary,

government and municipal school infrastructure in Delhi. More than twenty volunteers

from Delhi went out with their cameras and clicked pictures of schools without toilets,

classrooms, leaking roofs and garbage dumped within school premises. The

photographs were exhibited at several public spaces such as Dilli Haat, DLF Saket,

Jamia Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre and many colleges of Delhi.

More than 3000 citizens from across the city signed a petition asking the Government to

adhere to the norms prescribed by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory

Education Act 2009.

Herewith in this Dossier, we submit for your consideration around 36 photographs from

several schools of Delhi where there is need for immediate change. We have also

included some pictures from the photo exhibitions and the signatures in support of the

petition.

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A Study Report of the Toilets in Delhi Schools:

37 per cent of Delhi schools don’t have clean toilets, leaving children no choice but to

urinate in the open, while girls have nowhere to go.

Few days back Hon’ble. Supreme Court had shown its concern over the issue of lack of

toilets, and sought updates on the current scenario in the Govt. Schools. Currently the

status of Govt. School toilets is rarely unknown to any citizen, Open & in-secure toilets

especially for girls, dirty toilets and absence of special toilets for children with disability

are a few reasons which sometimes lead children to remain out of school, especially in

the case of a girl child.

Followed by the concerns of Hon’ble Supreme Court, CRY--Child Rights and You and

its partner APR (Alliance For People’s Rights), decided to undertake a Pilot survey of

the Govt. Schools in different parts of Delhi to determine the real picture of toilets.

A survey of 44 Government schools was conducted by CRY and its partner Alliance for

People’s Rights to gauge the real situation of sanitation and hygiene. A total of 318

toilets were surveyed, considering the following points:-

No. of toilets in schools, whether the no. are satisfactory.

Usage of toilets, whether it is being used by students or schools staffs.

Status of Cleanliness in the toilets.

Availability of water in the toilets.

Whether schools have staff to clean the toilets or if it is being maintained by the

Students themselves.

The no. of Schools covered along with their areas & no. of toilets is as following:-

S.No. No. of

Schools

covered

No. of

Toilets

Available

Area

1. 06 15 Sundar Nagari, Nand Nagari

2. 07 54 R.K. Puram Sectt. 1 & 2, Tigri

3. 07 30 Lal Kuan, Railway Colony,

Ambedkar Nagar, Tuglaqabad

4. 01 01 Hastal

5. 16 144 R.K. Puram Sect. 3,4 & 6,

Rangpuri Village & Pahadi,

Kusumpur Pahadi (Vasant Vihar),

Mahipalpur, Mahabir Enclave,

Palam Enclave

6. 05 95 Rohini Sectt. 15, 18 & 20, Badli

7. 02 09 Jahangirpuri, Shahbad Dairy

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Here are some key findings identified by survey teams of APR associate organizations,

which outlines the status of toilets in Govt. Schools:-

Out of the total covered schools, 37% of schools did not have clean toilets, their

toilets were spotted to be very dirty & in sub-human conditions, which makes

them unable for use for children. Children of these schools have to urinate in the

open, in such conditions girl children have nowhere to go. The schools of North-

west, North-East & Outer districts of Delhi have been spotted to be more

vulnerable in this context.

Out of total toilets covered, 15% of toilets are especially reserved for School

Staff and the students are prohibited to use these toilets; Gates of these toilets

remain locked and they open only for School staff. Compared to the students,

school staff’s toilets were spotted to be cleaner. The other 85% Schools have

common toilets for staff & children.

Out of total schools covered, only 39% of school’s toilets have been reported of

being cleaned on a regular basis. The remaining 61% are either occasionally

cleaned or cleaned in twice or thrice in a month. However most of the schools

have permanent staff to keep toilets clean.

Out of total schools covered, 24% of school toilets do not have an in-washroom

water supply and out of the remaining 76% school toilets, 18% of schools have

a supply of unhygienic & dirty water in their toilets.

Out of total schools covered, 21% school toilets have an infrastructural problem

i.e. sewerage is blocked, doors are broken, walls are cracked etc. and this needs

immediate repair.

Many schools of South-West district of Delhi were without buckets & mugs at

their toilets.

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1. Need for change: Safe and clean access to school

2. Need for change: Safe and clean access to school

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3 - Need for Change: Repair school entrance to allow safe access to school

4 - Need for Change: Repair of potholes inside school premises

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5 - Need for Change: Repaired and Functional water taps

6 - Need for Change: Repair of broken and clean benches

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7 - Need for Change: Repair of broken walls and proper maintenance

8 - Need for Change: Repair of broken toilet doors and safe toilets for children

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9 - Need for Change: Clean and well lit toilets in schools

10 - Need for Change: safe access to toilets in schools

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11 - Need for Change: Safe and clean drinking water space

12 - Need for Change: Clean and safe drinking water

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13 - Need for Change: Periodic cleaning of water tanks storing drinking water

14. Need for change: Working and clean toilets

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15.Need for change : Functional fans and tube lights

16. Need for change: Safe classrooms free of stray animals

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17 . Need for change: proper furniture in the classrooms

18.Need for change: Safe and closed electrical wirings

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19. Need for change: School free of stray dogs

20. Need for change: Safe and enclosed electrical wirings

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21. Need for change: Separate classrooms for each class

22. Need for change: clean classrooms and maintained furnitures

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23. Need for change: Timely distribution of uniforms

24. Need for change: enclosed toilets to prevent privacy

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25. Need for change: clean drinking water space

26. Need for change: No commercial activity in front of school gates

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27. Need for change: Clean entrance to well lit classrooms

28. Need for change: Water taps well maintained to stop wastages

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29. Need for change: clean functional Toilets in schools

30. Need for change: Facilities to facilitate Inclusive education

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31. Need for change: Classrooms for children

32. Need for change: Traffic signal, speed breakers, traffic cops to manage

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33. Need for Change: Safe and hygienic drinking water space

34. Need for change: Safe access to schools

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35. Need for change: Clean toilets with water availability

36 – Need for Change: Toilets opened and cleaned for use of students

MCD School, Adarsh Harijan Basti, Gokulpur

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The Need for Change Petition

We, the undersigned residents of Delhi, draw the attention of our Department of

Education, Delhi, to the following:

At the time of enforcement of Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory

Education Act 2009, data from District Information System for Education 2009-10

revealed:

10.45% of Government Primary Schools have only one classroom

Near about 25% of all primary schools need repairs

Separate toilets for girls is not available in almost 50% (50.99 %) of the total

number of

Schools

Near about half of all the primary schools do not have furniture for students.

(47%)

One tenth of all government. primary schools do not have drinking water

facilities for children

After twenty months we await fulfillment of at least the minimum provisions as

mandated by Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009

separate classrooms for students of different grades

separate, accessible and clean toilets for girls and boys

adequate classroom furniture

safe and adequate drinking water for all children

THEREFORE, your petitioners demand intent and action towards fulfillment of the

provisions of quality infrastructure as guaranteed by the Right of Children to Free and

Compulsory Education Act 2009

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A Glimpse of the Photo - exhibitions held in Delhi in 2011

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Media Release

“RIGHTS, CAMERA, EDUCATION!” CRY – Child Rights and You presents Click Rights – an exhibition of citizen photojournalism that captures how children in Government schools are being denied their Right to Education New Delhi, 17th December, 2011: CRY - Child Rights and You is organising an exhibition of citizen photojournalism entitled Click Rights, on the 17th and 18th of December 2011. The exhibition, which will be held simultaneously in 5 cities, displays citizens’ insights into the challenges faced by thousands of children while accessing their right to education. Citizens will also have the opportunity to sign a petition at the venue demanding quality education for all children in India. Earlier this month, CRY invited citizens and volunteers to click photographs of government/municipal schools in their localities that lacked basic infrastructure, as guaranteed to all children in India by the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. More than 500 photographs have been sent in by concerned citizens and volunteers. They showcase the state of infrastructure in government and municipal schools across the 5 metro cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai. The pictures sent in have shown numerous schools lacking cleanliness - many without toilets, and unhygienic conditions in those that do have them. Dimly lit classrooms, broken chairs and benches also seem to have caught the attention of citizens who participated in Click Rights. Children cramped in a single classroom or sitting on the floor is another common phenomenon that has been photographed, as has the use of playgrounds and classrooms to store construction materials. A picture from Delhi even shows garbage dumped right outside the school gate. Shortlisted pictures will be displayed at various public places in each of the five cities. Speaking about the initiative, Yogita Verma, Director, Volunteer Action, CRY says, “The Click Rights initiative aims to use photography to raise public awareness about the lack of proper infrastructure in government/municipal schools. Through this initiative, citizens and volunteers can demand that the state and central governments ensure the right to a quality education to all children. This includes adequate infrastructure like school buildings, hygienic surroundings, drinking water and separate toilets for girls and boys.”

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The Click Rights exhibition will be held at the following venues:

CITY DATE VENUE TIME

Mumbai 17th and 18th Dec 2011 Titan Clock tower area, Carter Road Promenade, Bandra

4pm-8pm

Delhi 17th and 18th Dec 2011 Dilli Haat (Near INA metro station)

1pm-5 pm

Kolkata 17th Dec 2011

18th Dec 2011

Dakshinapan in Dhakuria Ranu Chaya Manch (Academy of Fine Arts)

12pm -7pm 12pm-7pm

Bengaluru

17th and 18th Dec 2011 19th and 20th Dec 2011

PageTurners (Next to GK Vale) #89, M.G.Rd, Bangalore Jaaga

11.30 am - 7.30 pm 11 am-8 pm

Chennai

17th Dec 2011

18th Dec 2011

PVR Skywalk Waiting LoungeNo.1, Nelson Manickam Road, Poonamalee High Road, Aminjikarai Ashwita Bistro No. 11, Bawa Road, Alwarpet

3pm- 7pm 3pm- 7pm

An online exhibition of all the entries across the country can be seen on http://www.cry.org/microsite/clickrights/index.html. The pictures will then be used in CRY’s national, regional and local-level advocacy plans as follows:

With local authorities: A delegation from CRY will share details of the schools under their jurisdiction that need improvement

At the State level: A delegation from CRY will submit a detailed report with details of all the schools that need change in the region to the Chief Minister

At the National level: CRY will send a report detailing the schools that need change to the Prime Minister.

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