The directorate of education has asked all the Delhi government schools to not to allow anyone to enter the school premises for inspection of the infrastructure facilities, violating the central information commission order to allow such inspection once a month to bring in transparency.

The commission, in the order passed in September, had asked the directorate of education to open their records and that it can be inspected by any citizen on the last working day of every month.

It said certain categories of document including the manuals mandated under Section 4 (1) (b) of the RTI Act should be available in hard copy at the school.  It further said that documents should be available for inspection suo motu to ensure transparency and accountability of the functioning of schools.

The order was passed after an NGO called Josh filed an RTI with the CIC when it was not allowed to enter schools during the post-facto audit by NCPCR on implementation of RTE act.

The inspection was done by the School Watch Group, a newly formed group of more than 20 non-governmental organizations.

On September 30, for the first time schools run by GNCT and MCD were inspected. But a few days before the next inspection in October, a circular from the Additional Director if Education, the copy of which is with Governance Now, was issued which asked heads of all the government schools to ensure that no outsider without permission of the Principal will be allowed to enter the school.

The notice further said that no inspection of the infrastructure facilities has been ordered by any authority. And no one should be allowed to carry out any inspection or interaction without the prior authorization of the Department.

“This order is not only restricting the people's participation in proper functioning of schools but also denying the implementation of Right to Education in Delhi,” said Saurabh Sharma from Josh.

When the member of the team from different NGOs went for inspection on October 31, 12 schools including RSKV, Vijay Inclave, Nazafgarh; Sarvodaya Co-Ed Education School, Buland Masjid, Sharstripark; RSKV, Shastri Park; RSKV, Kalyanpuri denied inspection.

“The problem is only with the GNCT schools. We have continued the inspection with the MCD schools. They are very co-operative,” adds Sharma.

The group has filed complaints to CIC but no action has been taken yet.