First English medium school for poor kids by Delhi Waqf Board likely to start this year

NEW DELHI:  The Delhi Waqf Board's (DWB) first English medium middle school for underprivileged children is likely to start functioning from this academic session, for which it has identified a building in south Delhi's Okhla.

The officials privy to the matter said as soon as renovation of the building is completed, the process for hiring teachers and admitting students would begin.  In 2019, the Board had resolved to set up 250 English medium primary and middle schools for underprivileged children for which it had conducted interviews for hiring 160 teachers and 40 auxiliary staff.   

No fee will be charged from enrolled students and the Board will also provide free course material and uniforms. However, the project couldn’t take off due to various reasons including property disputes and non-availability of funds. Himal Akhar, a member of the DWB, said the project got delayed as the panel was dissolved in February 2019 when the assembly elections were announced and then the pandemic broke out.

"Despite hurdles, we are determined to start the school from this session. We have zeroed in on a  property at Okhla. Importantly, we will not be using government or Board funds but accepting contributions from individuals," said Ahktar, who is also the vice chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi.    

Though the Board set its sights on setting up 250 schools, it now plan to open 16 schools initially in Okhla, Seelampur, Babarpur, Matia Mahal, Ballimaran, Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin, and Gandhi Nagar area.

The agency has proposed to reserve 50 per cent seats for minority communities' underprivileged students and 25 per cent for Dalit students. The remaining 25 per cent will be for general category students.To oversee the management of schools, a four-member committee has been set up.

Prototype in the making

The first school will serve as a prototype after which we will be able to understand practical problems and difficulties in running an educational institution, said authorities