To get quality and safe education to school children, the BMC initiated the ‘Safe Access to Schools’ programme on Wednesday. Guardian minister and environment minister Aaditya Thackeray, urban development minister Eknath Shinde, Congress leader Aslam Shaikh and state education minister Varsha Gaikwad were present during the inauguration campaign.
While addressing the campaign, Thackeray said, “There is a need for coordination between security and quality of education. Every child should move freely within a 500-metre radius of the school. For that, good footpaths, street lights, bus stops, and proper arrangements for road crossings need to be set up.” He also emphasised the dental and mental health of children.
“Every child that comes to school should get care from dental, mental and diabetic aspects,” he said. “The learning will be affected if a child’s mental health is not looked after. All the three aspects are being considered in government schools. Therefore, the safe access campaign is being implemented in Mumbai.”
There was a time when enrolment in BMC schools had come down severely but that picture has changed, claimed Thackeray, adding, “Now, many people are interested and standing in queue to get admission in the BMC schools.”
