NEW DELHI: “Desh ke Mentor programme” is now being expanded to 200 Sarvodaya Vidyalayas in Delhi. It is a programme of the Delhi government through which individuals can register and become mentors to the students of classes X to XII in Delhi government schools.
The school heads have been told to ensure that the class teachers of X, XI and XII should be guided about the programme and its benefits. NoCs will be taken from all interested students.
“For effective implementation of the Desh ke Mentor programme, the orientation session of parents of students studying in classes 10th, 11th and 12th must be arranged during parent-teacher meetings. NoCs from all interested students must be obtained through their respective class teachers and the collected NoCs may be kept with the nodal officer of the school for the record,” said a circular sent to the schools.
According to the figure released by the Delhi government earlier, 44,000 mentors have been helping the students of Delhi government schools. About 1,74,000 students have been mentored.
In January, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights had raised several objections to the programme and asked the Delhi government to suspend it till the loopholes concerning the safety of the children were overhauled. The commission had raised concerns over the possibility of enrolled children being exposed to abuse by the mentors.
Though the programme was not suspended, some guidelines were issued for the mentors by the government.
According to the guidelines, the mentors are restricted from encouraging physical contact or sexual relations with the students and they cannot share any pornographic material with the children. The norms also prohibit the mentors from contacting children after 8 pm, asking them to meet alone and seeking their personal details.
