NEW DELHI:  Starting December 1, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) will begin evaluation of nearly 5,650 schools in the city on the basis of the infrastructure and academic facilities they have to offer. The evaluation is scheduled to end in May 2019, following which a report will be prepared and put in the public domain. 

The DCPCR is a statutory body functioning as a children’s rights watchdog and the monitoring authority for the implementation of the Right to Education Act. During the evaluation, the body will assess government, private and municipal-run schools on the basis of three parameters—child safety, learning and social inclusion of children from the economically weaker sections of society. 

In assessing child safety, along with the infrastructure of the school, the physical, mental and  sexual aspects will also be looked into, according to DCPCR. The availability, adequacy and accessibility of teaching and learning resources and learning outcomes will be covered under the learning parameter. Additionally, the extent of inclusion of those admitted under the economically weaker section and disadvantaged (EWS/DG) category in private schools and the involvement of parents in decision-making in the government and government-aided school will also be checked. 

Parents will have access to the evaluation through a website, and schools will also be allowed to make submissions with regard to their performance related to specific criteria. “Most advanced democracies and countries have an independent school evaluation mechanism inbuilt in their governance design. In India, attempts at school evaluation have been undertaken with different purposes. No attempt wherein there was no conflict of interest has been undertaken thus far,” DCPC said.

What is School Development Index (SDI)?
It is a compressive evaluation of all schools in Delhi on safety, learning and inclusion of students from economically weaker sections of society
How will it help parents?
They can track the performance of the school their child is attending
How does it help schools?
It will acknowledge good performance and any improvement therein