Bhopal: Mil Bachey Hum programme (MBHP) of the school education department which was started on CM’s advice with an objective to inculcate the habit of reading amongst children besides curriculum books is in dire straits. Though the school education department claims that their programme is a success, however, the ground reality of the program is far different.
The participation of ministers, IAS officials and other public representatives and public servants in MBHP remained a one-time event. None of these high profile participants bothered to visit the school again- a promise they had made earlier.
As the date of programme is coming closer a list of who’s who is under preparation, however most of the senior officials, Free Press interacted with avoided the question. ‘The aim of the programme is to bring public representatives and public servants to government schools, said Amitabh Anuragi, media convener of Rajya Shiksha Kendra.
Anuragi claims that several people who have registered themselves last year for MBHP are still in touch with the schools and contributing various ways. However, out of around 2 lakh volunteers who registered for the first time at Mil Bachey programme only around 30,000 have shown their interest for the program again.
On the contrary, Pranam Pathshala – a programme where passed out students of the school is asked to associate with the development of their former school- has gained a better response. But authorities from school education department are giving the credit of its success to Mil Bachey Hum programme.
“During Mil Bachey Hum we encourage volunteers to choose the school where they had studied. This develops the bond after which the alumni start working for their former school and its students,” said Anuragi. Giving details of previous year, he said that an assistance to the tune of Rs 6.8 crores have been received by government schools so far.
About MBHP
The programme was started on CM’s advice with objective to inculcate habit of reading amongst children besides curriculum books. When the programme started CM Chouhan too had visited a school, took a class and told students his success story. Senior IAS officials besides ministers and leaders too had gone to school and interacted with students. Since then hardly anyone has returned to the school again with the same objective. This year the programme would be held on August 7, death anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.