Laws to stop illicit donations in private schools soon: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Delhi government is bringing laws to prevent siphoning of funds by private schools in the city and to ensure transparent admissions by preventing "illicit" donations, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told President Pranab Mukherjee today.

In a meeting with the President, Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia apprised him about the AAP government's initiatives in the education sector and shared a vision document in this regard.

"We updated the President about the initiatives of Delhi government like recruitment of 20,000 new teachers, creation of 12,000 classrooms and work on 45 new buildings, installation of CCTV cameras, the loan programme and the decision to reduce syllabus," Sisodia told reporters after the meeting.

Sisodia said Mukherjee had suggested about the meeting when the latter donned teacher's hat and took class of students of Dr Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya on the eve of Teachers' Day.

The document shared by the government talks about the initiatives of the AAP government such as improving teacher student ratio in classrooms by recruiting 20,000 new teachers. It also says that land has been identified for 100 more schools.

On "disciplining private schools" and the proposed law, it says, "Government is bringing a law to prevent siphoning of funds from private schools. This would drastically reduce fees of many private schools. Also, a law is being brought to ensure admissions in private schools in a transparent manner to prevent illicit donations."

All admissions under EWS quota in all private schools will be done in a transparent manner from next year, the document says.

In improving quality of education, the government has identified 54 schools which will be taken up on a pilot basis. Teachers are being given training and incentives, it says.

"All principals are being given complete financial and functional autonomy to function effectively. In return, there will be clear accountability parameters," it adds.