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Congress Vision For Primary Education & Heath

Primary Health: Building the Foundation

Municipal Corporations are responsible for primary education in Delhi. The three

MCDs run over 1,700 primary schools across Delhi. However, MCD schools

suffer from poor learning outcomes leading to poor perception among parents and

declining enrolment over the years.

Between 2012-13 and 2016-17, over 56,000 students dropped out of schools in the

North, over 54,000 in the South and over 26,000 students in the East MCD. Total

1.36 lakh children left MCD schools in past 3 years.

MCD schools also face significant infrastructural and human resource constraints,

which is perplexing given that the three MCDs are unable to utilize the funds

allocated for education. It is evident that significant improvement in the

governance of MCD schools is required.

Teachers in MCD run schools are overworked and students are neglected. The

Right to Education mandates a Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) of 30:1. However, all

MCD schools have a PTR higher than the stipulated one, generally between 37:1

and 42:1. This situation is further exacerbated due to inequitable distribution of

teachers across schools

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We envision a complete overhaul of the prevalent education system

under MCD by introducing major institutional reforms by

establishing supervisory bodies to ensure quality education to the

students, to train the teachers and to encourage active participation

of local communities around the schools.

Institutional Reforms

1. An ‘Empowered Group for Quality Education’ to monitor Schools

We will setup an empowered group of persons consisting of former principals,

experts from the field of education (India), experts with at least 15 years of

international experience in the field of education (preferably Government

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experience), representatives/guardians of students, representatives of NGOs and

representatives from MCD.

The group will advise and improve the quality of education in MCD and

primary schools.

The First meeting of the empowered group will be convened within a week

of the Congress Party attaining majority in the MCD.

The group will meet weekly to closely watch the functioning and

performance of all schools.

It shall also be responsible to direct the Education Department to fill in the

vacancies of teachers and necessary staff in schools and will submit a

monthly report to the Mayor and Commissioner, MCD, who shall be

responsible for implementation of the recommendations made by the

group.

2. Partner-School Matching

Under this scheme, NGOs will be invited to impart primary education for

children.

Standard of these schools will also be monitored by the empowered group,

along with the MCD schools.

MCD will match the private primary/local schools/learning centres and

community-based organizations with at least 15 years’ experience in the

field of education.

These organisations will submit quarterly reports directly to the

empowered group for necessary corrections in the said schools.

The MCD will, thus, ensure that even the level of private primary learning

centres imparting elementary education is at par with Navyug Schools of

NDMC.

3. Delhi City Leadership Academy (DCLA)

DCLA will be setup using the unutilized land banks of the MCD for

training of existing and new teachers/principals to enable them meet best-

in-class standards of primary education and will consist of master coaches -

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teachers and academicians having vast experience in field of education,

both in India and abroad. The empowered group will oversee the selection

process of master coaches.

In the first phase, DCLA will launch the ‘Aspiring Principals ’

Program (APP)’ a program that will use experiential learning

methods to develop the real -world skills necessary for

effective school leadership.

The program will help aspiring leaders become change agents who can

inspire teachers and foster educational equity.

4. Child-focused Learning

Most students in MCD schools come from poor and marginalized sections of

society. To ensure that students are able to learn and at-risk groups do not drop out.

The Congress-led MCD will take the following step:

Pre-school classes will be provided to children before they join Class I.

Bridge courses for out-of-school kids will be provided.

We will make learning inclusive for differently-abled kids.

Institutional support will be provided to ensure seamless transfer from MCD-

run school to Delhi Government schools.

Parental Support: Special workshops for the parents on social behaviour

patterns, gender sensitization, after-school support of the child etc will be

conducted.

A fixed deposit of Rs 1,000/- per girl child will be done on

enrolment, which could be en-cashed only after graduation from

high school.

5. Teachers

We will provide a respectful and supportive environment for its

teachers to empower and enable them to provide the best education

to their students:

Vacancies: Around 6,500 teacher vacancies will be filled to ensure compliance

with the RTE PTR mandate. Distribution of teachers will be equitable across

schools.

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Training: A review in consultation with the SCERT will be undertaken to

overhaul in-service training for MCD teachers.

Capacity Building and Support: Teacher Support Centres - a voluntary centre

for teachers to access resources, share experiences and build support groups

with other teachers working in similar circumstances - will be set up in every

district.

Timely disbursement of Salaries.

Recruitment rules: A committee of education experts will be constituted to

review recruitment rules and make amendments if necessary

1. Infrastructural Development

Adequate desks and chairs will be purchased for every child to ensure no

student has to sit on the floor.

Separate toilets for girls and boys will be built in all schools.

Pucca buildings for all schools will be ensured.

Purified drinking water will be made available in all schools.

Mid Day Meals (MDM)

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Regular audit of all venders providing mid-day meals and review to ensure

compliance with prescribed nutritional standards.

2. Community Participation

We will strengthen the School Management Committee (SMC) to improve

parental participation and oversight of schools.

Mechanisms for wider community participation will be ensured in recognition

of the legitimate stake of the larger community in improving public schools.

We will organize institutional tie-ups with reputed private schools, colleges and

other educational institutions to involve their teachers/students to do voluntary

teaching/engaging in different ways with MCD schools.

Sports

All schools will have dedicated PE teachers.

Congress Party will organize linkages with various sports coaches and

academies to conduct sports camps on weekends for interested school students.

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Our Vision to Imparting Robust Healthcare services

Too many cooks spoil the broth. They say. Chaos and lack of accountability has

taken a major toll of healthcare services in Delhi. Those apart, frequent outbreaks

of vector-borne diseases keep testing the already ailing Delhi healthcare services.

Delhi Congress’ 10 point Action Plan for MCD

With the motto of “Health for All,” Congress-run MCD will provide primary

health services to the entire population of Delhi free of charge, in a safe, respectful

and dignified manner.

The Congress Party will constitute a Special Task Force for

containing the mosquito menace and will also roll out health

insurance for the schoolgoers.

1. Augmentation and Upgradation of Primary Health Clinics (PHCs)

i) All MCD-run hospitals will be transferred to the Delhi Government,

thereby reducing the expenses by Rs. 652 crore every year. The MCD

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will take ownership of all PHCs currently being operated by the state and

central governments.

ii) All MCD health centers will be upgraded to meet the Primary Urban

Health Centre (PUHC) norms of Delhi Government and facilities like

laboratory, x-ray, test facilities or curative, preventive and promotive

services will be augmented within three months of Congress assuming

power.

iii) While referral services to secondary and tertiary health providers are

outside the ambit of the MCD, the Congress will map its PHCs along

these facilities and attempt to set-up a mechanism in coordination with

state and central governments.

iv) PHC operating hours will be expanded as per PHC norms and all PHCs

will be adequately staffed by qualified physicians, nurses, health workers

and technicians.

v) PHCs will stock all essential medicines appropriate for primary health

care and will provide all basic diagnostic tests.

vi) Adequate ANMs and ASHA workers will be deployed in Maternal and

Child Welfare (MNCW) centres with slums and resettlement colonies

receiving priority.

vii) School Health Clinics will be scaled up to ensure proper school health

check-ups, follow-up and treatment.

Constitution of Special Task Force for Prevention and Control of

Mosquito-Borne Diseases such as Dengue and Chikungunya

Dengue and Chikungunya have reached epidemic proportions in

Delhi. Last two years saw woeful lack of preparedness and

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effective response on the part of the BJP-run MCDs and AAP-led

Delhi Government.

There is significant overlap between sanitation and primary healthcare systems to

prevent incidence of vector borne diseases. Congress has presented a

comprehensive roadmap for sanitation in Delhi

i) Setting up of a Special Task Force to fight mosquito menace in Delhi. 27

Task Forces will be setup in groups of 10 wards.Every such task force

will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner (MCD) of that area.

ii) The Congress Party will prepare and publish a comprehensive epidemic

control, prevention and response plan for vector-borne diseases with

specific focus on JJs, resettlement colonies and other vulnerable

communities.

iii) Ensure testing and treatment of vector-borne diseases at all PHCs.

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2. Affordable Medicines Through Fair Price Pharmacies

A large number of patients go to private OPDs leading to

significant out-of-pocket expenses for them. The Congress

Party will ensure that medical expenses do not burn holes in

the pockets of those ailing.

i) The MCD will open fair price pharmacies which will stock generic

medicines in all MCD-run hospitals and credible hospitals run by

NGOs/Institutions/Co-operative Societies.

ii) The Congress Party in MCD will establish flagship stores on the

platform of the current Janaushadhi Scheme, 2008.

3. Setting up PHCs in all Metro stations

Vicinity-based public access and immediate healthcare services to the metro

passengers in case of emergencies.

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4. Clinics on wheels

The services will be augmented and upgraded and “Diagnostic

Centers on Wheels”, will be introduced targeted to provide

basic diagnosis facilities.

5. Promotion of health

To work with and engage all medical practitioners, healthcare

agencies, and communities to understand and improve health through

community-based interventions and public participation.

Special camps for Yoga, alternative medicine and naturopathy will be

held regularly in MCD parks.

6. Go Digital

Digital platform will be created for integration of the entire public healthcare

delivery infrastructure to assess, monitor and reach in fastest mode possible

and address the challenges at hand.

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7. Special Measures for Children, Senior Citizens and Women

i) Congress Party will extend free health insurance under

group insurance schemes to the eight lac plus students

studying in MCD schools

The said scheme will also be extended to those institutes

which partner with MCD under the ‘Partner School -

Matching Programme’.

ii) Setting up of special Day Care Centres for the elderly with provision of

multiple services like physical fitness regimes, recreation, etc.

iii) Day and night crèches will be setup especially for the mothers engaged in

informal and unorganised sectors.

iv) Special healthcare facilities for women will be closely monitored, managed

and with women doctors and support staff.

The focus of these healthcare facilities would be on ailments and

specific healthcare requirements of the women.

Marriage counselling for young brides to help them understand

family planning and the need of safeguarding themselves from

sexually transmitted diseases.

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8. Community Monitoring and Grievance Redressal

Congress will setup ‘Health Watch Group’ on Ward-Level.

i) Health Watch Groups (HWG) will work as eyes and ears of the MCD

and will be in constant touch with the Municipal Councillor & Deputy

Commissioner of the area.

ii) It will be mandatory for the Municipal Councillor and Deputy

Commissioner to hold fortnightly meetings with HWGs and dispose

of the concerns rose within a week.

iii) The HWG members will be made responsible for facilitating general

counseling and health check-ups of kids by MCD.

iv) In addition to the public, the HWG will report health concerns of their

respective areas to higher authorities for organised planning and

action.

v) The said group will contain members of various RWAs, Gram

Panchayats, market/ trader’s association and concerned MCD health

officials of the areas.

vi) People’s participation and monitoring of PHCs will be ensured

through Ward Committees.

vii) Grievance-redressal mechanism will be set up for every ward to

ensure independent oversight of all PHCs.