NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has directed all schools in the city to maintain a minimum of 220 working days for upper primary classes in an academic year.
"All the head of schools are directed to adhere to the provision laid down in the Right to Education Act (RTE) in respect of mandatory 220 working days in an academic year," the Directorate of Education (DoE) said in a communiqué sent to all school principals.
"It is the responsibility of the respective school managements to ensure that the schools under their control observe minimum working days and holidays in the academic calendar are approved beforehand," it added.
The school heads have also been asked to furnish an undertaking to the education department that the directive will be complied with.
After coming to the power the Delhi government has kept its key focus on the education sector and has taken various steps to improve the education system in the city.
"The new initiative will motivate students and also teachers to work hard. The authorities should also realise that the government is trying this because more working days means more training for the students," an official said.
The officials also said the head of the schools will have the authority to design the days and they can schedule it for other activities too. "The schools are the only place where they read and stay in touch with the academics and this is why we think that increasing the working days will help the students," said the official. The department sources also said in the parent-teacher meetings the parents have reportedly approached the government to make the students more attached to schools so that they can spend more time in the educational environment.
Earlier, the city government also decided to introduce a new type of school named 'School of Excellence' in the national capital.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said these schools would impart education through English language and the admission process for nursery to Class V and, Class IX and XI would start from next year. The new buildings of 'School of Excellence' in Rohini, Khichdipur, Kalkaji, Madanpur Khadar and Dwarka are ready. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
At present, there are three categories of government-run schools in the national capital - Rajkiya Vidyalaya, Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya and Sarvodaya Vidyalaya.