Explore possibilities of shifting Sonia Vihar school students: HC

Giving hope to the students of an overcrowded government school in Sonia Vihar, the Delhi high court on Thursday directed the city government to explore feasibility of shifting students from the school to other schools in adjoining areas. The Bench headed by Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also 

asked the government to explore possibility of arranging school buses for students who could be shifted to other schools.

“The principal secretary, Education, of the Delhi government is directed to personally examine the situation in the Sonia Vihar school and prepare a long term plan whereby, the students can be spread out to others schools so that they can get proper education,” said justice Sachdeva.  “He (principal secretary) may also examine the possibility of plying certain school buses for transporting students from the Sonia Vihar school to adjoining schools in nearby vicinity so that the students can get proper education,” added Sachdeva.

The cramped school is being run in two shifts, first shift for girls and the second one for boys. The girls’ shift is from 6.45 am to 12.45 pm and has 4,529 students. The boys’ shift runs from 12.45 pm to 6.45 pm and has 3,190 students. 

Owing to the lack of proper infrastructure in the Sonia Vihar school, five students from Pusta area of Sonia Vihar applied in schools beyond their locality. However, they were reportedly denied admission to other schools because their home was not within three-km radius of the schools. 

Left with no option but to join the Sonia Vihar school, where classes are reportedly held in the corridors, activist and advocate Ashok Aggarwal petitioned on behalf of the five students in the High Court.

On August 24, the Bench headed by Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva had directed the Delhi government to respond about lack of proper infrastructure in the school and to provide details of government schools around the Sonia Vihar school.  Additional 22 new classrooms are in the process of construction, contended the Delhi government in the court. 

Moreover, government officials maintained that the process of repair is also underway.  It is also notable that the Delhi government had allocated Rs 10,000 crore, 23 per cent of total allocation, for education in the last Budget.