Private Schools obligated to provide Equipments, Internet to EWS Students for Online Study: DoE tells HC

The Delhi Govt’s Directorate of Education has submitted before the High Court of Delhi that it is the obligation of the private unaided schools to provide desktop/ laptop/ smartphone/ high-speed internet to economically weaker section (EWS) or disadvantged group category students admitted in their schools to avail online study.

On Friday, the Directorate, in a counter-affidavit submitted in the Court, said that it is the duty of the schools to ensure no child be deprived of online education for the lack of learning material required for attending online classes, whereas it added that the Union of India is bound to release funds for reimbursement as proscribed under Right to Education Act.

The counter-affidavit was filed as a response on a plea seeking to provide laptop, smartphone & high-speed internet connection to EWS students studying in private schools, who are unable to attend online classes being held in view of the coronavirus lockdown.

A bench of Justices Manmohan & Sanjeev Narula had sought a response from the Education Department of Delhi on the petition filed by NGO Justice For All through Lawyers Khagesh B Jha & Shikha Sharma Bagga.

Delhi Govt, through the affidavit, also said that it has issued a show-cause notice to top 15 private schools in Delhi for not providing free laptop/i-pad/android phones with a high-speed internet connection.

The HC had recently said that Schools & Govt must ensure that not even a single child could be deprived of online education for the lack of teaching equipment.

The Court had observed that schools may procure the equipment for the EWS & can ask for reimbursement, if any, later from Central Govt. The hearing on the plea is slated to be held on June 10.

The petitioner had said that over 50,000 students belonging to the economically weaker sections EWS aren't able to afford laptops, phones & other electronic gadgets & hence deprived from attending online classes being conducted by private schools. 

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