Following the National Achievement Survey (NAS) which has shown that the entire country, including Delhi, has a crisis of learning in schools, the Delhi government on Monday announced the launch of “Mission Buniyaad” for improving learning levels of children studying in the Delhi government schools as well as municipal schools.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the programme is being designed on the lines of Delhi government’s Chunauti scheme, which was aimed at correcting learning disparities.

Under this new education scheme, a mentor teacher will be appointed to check the learning outcomes of schools run by the Delhi government and the municipal corporations of Delhi.

The decision was taken after two rounds of meetings chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister with municipal corporations, Delhi Cantonment Board and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Sisodia said the NAS survey demonstrates that close to half of all children in schools are not able to read their grade level textbooks.

Sisodia, who also holds education portfolio, said even though owing to the introduction of various programmes in the secondary schools run by the Delhi government, have improved reading ability by about 20 percent, children in primary schools ~ that are under the municipal corporations ~ are not able to read and thereafter find it difficult to cope with the advanced levels.

Sisodia said the municipal bodies of Delhi that run primary schools in the city will raise a cadre of teachers who will drive the programme, in a manner similar to the mentor teacher programme run in Delhi government schools.

“One teacher will take care of five schools and will train teachers of these five schools on enhancing readability of children. The entire programme will run from classes 3 to 5 in MCD schools and in classes 6 to 8 in Delhi government schools. All officials of the education department will run the campaign in mission mode for three months from April to June 2018,” Sisodia said.

The Minister said in days to come, children will undergo a reading level assessment based on which they will be enrolled in specialised “Mission Buniyaad” classes in their schools. Sisodia also appealed to parents of children to support the Delhi government and MCDs in this campaign in the interest of their children’s future.

“For children who are not able to read,” Sisodia said, “I request all parents to cancel their vacation plans during summer holidays and send their children to school for remedial classes.