The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) plans to start an exclusive residential school for ragpickers and children living on railway platforms soon. Such children are often forced into a life of crime, drug addiction, and alcoholism, and are stuck in that life without any basic education.
The civic body plans to help such children by setting up a school for them right next to the railway station. NMC is also planning similar schools for children working in brick kilns and garbage dump yards.
The rehabilitation of such children has been spurred by a proposal from the superintendent of police (GRP) Ravindra Singhal. He had asked the civic body to explore a school for children in the custody of GRP. Most of these children had been caught while engaged in rag picking and other crimes at railway platforms at Nagpur junction, Itwari and Ajni stations.
Mayor Archana Dehankar liked the idea and took up the project seriously. It will be the first of its kind in the state and will be developed by the civic body at its well-known Lal Shala — a school in Bajeriya area, near the railway station.
"Following the proposal by GRP, we have decided to start a residential school in Bajeriya area. We have completed all the formalities and the school will start functioning from May 5," Dehankar informed.
Singhal said, "These children, especially the rag pickers on railway platforms, can never dream of a meaningful education, even though the central government recently guaranteed education as a fundamental right for all children. We have a list of almost 400 such children, who have been caught at various railway stations across the state. If NMC decides to start a school for them, we will hand over these children to their custody in phases."
Dehankar said the schools will be started jointly with an NGO. The NGO workers will take care of education, teachers and other staffers to run the residential school while NMC would provide accommodation, education material, clothes, school uniforms, other accessories, breakfast and meals etc.
"Initially, we plan to rehabilitate 30 children in the custody of GRP, Nagpur. In the next step, the corporation plans to start a residential school for children working in brick kilns, railway stations and garbage dumpyards," she said.
A senior NMC official told TOI, "Most children living on railway platforms or working at dumping yards belong to weaker sections of the society. These families give more importance to earning for the family rather than getting their children educated. Since we have decided to provide all the necessary things along with an education, these children should be attracted to our school."
The civic body plans to help such children by setting up a school for them right next to the railway station. NMC is also planning similar schools for children working in brick kilns and garbage dump yards.
The rehabilitation of such children has been spurred by a proposal from the superintendent of police (GRP) Ravindra Singhal. He had asked the civic body to explore a school for children in the custody of GRP. Most of these children had been caught while engaged in rag picking and other crimes at railway platforms at Nagpur junction, Itwari and Ajni stations.
Mayor Archana Dehankar liked the idea and took up the project seriously. It will be the first of its kind in the state and will be developed by the civic body at its well-known Lal Shala — a school in Bajeriya area, near the railway station.
"Following the proposal by GRP, we have decided to start a residential school in Bajeriya area. We have completed all the formalities and the school will start functioning from May 5," Dehankar informed.
Singhal said, "These children, especially the rag pickers on railway platforms, can never dream of a meaningful education, even though the central government recently guaranteed education as a fundamental right for all children. We have a list of almost 400 such children, who have been caught at various railway stations across the state. If NMC decides to start a school for them, we will hand over these children to their custody in phases."
Dehankar said the schools will be started jointly with an NGO. The NGO workers will take care of education, teachers and other staffers to run the residential school while NMC would provide accommodation, education material, clothes, school uniforms, other accessories, breakfast and meals etc.
"Initially, we plan to rehabilitate 30 children in the custody of GRP, Nagpur. In the next step, the corporation plans to start a residential school for children working in brick kilns, railway stations and garbage dumpyards," she said.
A senior NMC official told TOI, "Most children living on railway platforms or working at dumping yards belong to weaker sections of the society. These families give more importance to earning for the family rather than getting their children educated. Since we have decided to provide all the necessary things along with an education, these children should be attracted to our school."
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