UP government sets up temporary schools for kids of labourers at Magh Mela

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is setting up two makeshift schools at the Magh Mela campus here for children of daily wage labourers who work at the fair. The state education department will be setting up schools at Kali Marg in Sector 2 and Gangoli Shivala in Sector 4 where scores of children coming from economically weak backgrounds will be taught by qualified teachers. These two schools will also serve midday meals to the children, many of whom are under nourished.

According to Santosh Yadav, the block education officer of Magh Mela 2020, said all children between 6 to 14 years of age will be enrolled in these schools. "With no periodical assessments, the schools will have children between the age group of six and 14 years. The children will also get nutritious mid-day meal."

The schools will have proper furniture, electricity, drinking water and toilets. Children will be given free books, two sets of school uniform, a sweater, a school bag, and basic stationery for the Mela period which extends to 43 days.

Yadav said: "The schools will have five qualified teachers each who have been selected. The teachers have even begun a survey to identify the kids of the workers who can be enrolled here. We plan to make the schools functional by the next three to four days and close operations by February end."

During this time, the students will be imparted lessons in Hindi, English, Mathematics, and Science.

Thousands of casual labourers from neighbouring states such as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh come to work at the Mela every year.

They come with their families and their children have to skip school during this period.

The objective of the temporary school is to ensure that the children continue to get access to education during this period.

The Magh Mela begins on January 10 and concludes on February 21, after Maha Shivratri.