Amid COVID-19 pandemic, informal schools open up under flyways in Delhi; how they are working

At a time when all MCD and government schools are closed and learning is offered remotely, some cases have emerged in Delhi where some informal set-ups are helping students study as they do not have access to the technological means. According to a report by The Indian Express, informal schools are helping children of urban farmers get primary education alongside the banks of the Yamuna river and under Barapullah flyover. These schools run from morning to evening helping many children.

The report highlighted that one of the informal schools is run by Satyendra Pal, a 25-year old B.Sc. graduate and the classes are taken under the flyover every day barring Sunday. The school classes start from 8 am in the morning. The first class from 8 am to 11 am are for science and maths students who are in class VIII and above. Similarly, students from Nursery onwards are taught English, Maths and Hindi from 12 pm to 3 pm. Older students including class 7 are given classes for English and science after 3 pm. These classes started early in July and ensure that there is no learning gap for these students amid the Coronavirus outbreak.

It is to note that students are made to sit apart maintaining social distancing and they are also being given sanitizers. The report citing volunteers there said that many students are not even able to complete assignments given by MCD schools as they lack guidance. There are around 150 students who are being tutored in these schools and many of them pay between Rs 100 and Rs 300, whatever families can afford to pay. And some families who are not even able to do this much, take classes for free.

With the lack of technology (smartphones, laptops or internet access), students going to MCD and government schools are keeping up with their studies with the help of these classes being conducted in various areas.