New Delhi, Jun 22 (IANS): Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday asked the Directorate of Education (DoE) and Delhi Municipal Corporations (MCDs) for smooth integration of students joining Class 6 in state government schools from MCD-run schools.

As per the Delhi government's statement, every year nearly 1.7 lakh students join the state-run government schools in Class 6 after passing out Class 5 as Delhi civic authorities run primary schools only.

Chairing a joint meeting of the officials of DoE and three civic bodies, Sisodia emphasised on transition of students of MCD to DOE schools during present Covid situation.

"We need correct contact details of students joining Delhi government schools from MCD schools so that their Class 6 teachers can reach out to them quickly," Sisodia, who is also the Education Minister, said.

He further said that, last year, at the beginning of the session only about 30-35 per cent students' phone numbers were found correct, due to which a large number of students could not be engaged right from the beginning and therefore they could not get the worksheets or participate in semi-online classes.

To prevent the repetition, this year Sisodia has directed the DoE and civic bodies to devise a plan where the Class 5 teachers of MCD schools work in coordination with the Class 6 teachers of Delhi government schools.

"Students and teachers have faced a lot of mental and physical challenges due to the Covid crisis and closure of schools. We should ensure that the students transitioning from MCD to DoE schools should get the same emotional and learning support from their teachers as students in other classes of DoE schools.

Joint efforts between MCD school teachers and DoE school teachers will help tremendously in getting the correct contact details of such students and strengthening the bond between teachers and their students".

The Minister has also directed the officials in the meeting to organise a combined Parent Teachers Meeting (PTM) for students' joining grade 6 this year in July.

"Bridging the learning gaps of students caused due to the pandemic is of supreme importance. We need to handhold our students, once schools reopen, and put in place strategies to priorities student

learning alongwith providing emotional support to them. Measures to reduce learning gaps would include a combined Mission Buniyad strategy for classes 3 to 6, especially for those students who were falling behind in classes," Sisodia added.