Door Step School works closely with schools in Ravet and Punavale through its program ‘Every Child Counts’. We have identified need for deeper intervention in this area since most of the children enrolled to these schools are from migrant communities like construction workers and brick-kiln workers.
These children stay in settlements which are 3-4 kms away from school. Traffic heavy roads and highways make it more difficult for children to reach school without escort and transport facility. Transport is the most basic facility required for these children’s school access and continuity.
DSS has been providing transport facility for both these schools since last 4 years. Around 100 to 125 children avail of the transport facility each month since then. Hence, there is need of consistent transport facility for children in these schools. We believed that if the Local Government takes ownership of this, it would be part of school process in the long run and thus sustainable.
As per Right to Education Act, schools have right to demand transport facility. But due to the administrative hurdles involved, schools refrain from making this demand and taking it forward. Hence, we decided to take this issue up with the Local Governement. (Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation). We spoke to the education dept. officials, additional commissioner and commissioner and local corporators through frequent meetings – to create awareness about the need and to take specific administrative decisions. It was tough to motivate them to take the necessary actions.
We took a group of children, parents and Shikshan Mitras to PCMC Education Department to meet the education officers, education committee members and standing committee members. Following all these meetings the PCMC took ownership of the school transport in these schools
This has helped 400+ children not only in Ravet, Punawale but also 90+ children from other remote areas like Wadmukhwadi and Charholi.
This is indeed a significant step towards schools and local Govt. being sensitive towards needs of children from migrant / marginalized families and taking responsibility to fulfil the same.
These children stay in settlements which are 3-4 kms away from school. Traffic heavy roads and highways make it more difficult for children to reach school without escort and transport facility. Transport is the most basic facility required for these children’s school access and continuity.
DSS has been providing transport facility for both these schools since last 4 years. Around 100 to 125 children avail of the transport facility each month since then. Hence, there is need of consistent transport facility for children in these schools. We believed that if the Local Government takes ownership of this, it would be part of school process in the long run and thus sustainable.
As per Right to Education Act, schools have right to demand transport facility. But due to the administrative hurdles involved, schools refrain from making this demand and taking it forward. Hence, we decided to take this issue up with the Local Governement. (Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation). We spoke to the education dept. officials, additional commissioner and commissioner and local corporators through frequent meetings – to create awareness about the need and to take specific administrative decisions. It was tough to motivate them to take the necessary actions.
We took a group of children, parents and Shikshan Mitras to PCMC Education Department to meet the education officers, education committee members and standing committee members. Following all these meetings the PCMC took ownership of the school transport in these schools
This has helped 400+ children not only in Ravet, Punawale but also 90+ children from other remote areas like Wadmukhwadi and Charholi.
This is indeed a significant step towards schools and local Govt. being sensitive towards needs of children from migrant / marginalized families and taking responsibility to fulfil the same.
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