NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s education department is planning to allocate a major share of the upcoming year’s budget towards introducing printed Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN)-based workbooks for primary classes, an official aware of the matter said. These printed books will replace the daily worksheets previously given by teachers and will ensure uniform learning material across MCD schools.
In addition to FLN material, the budget will also prioritise digital learning tools and school infrastructure upgrades. “These printed workbooks will be the first-of-its-kind for MCD schools and will cover FLN for two levels—one for Grades 1–2 and the other for Grades 3–5. This will help maintain uniformity, prevent worksheet lapses due to fund shortages, and eventually improve learning outcomes,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
A significant portion of the spending will focus on school infrastructure, including repair and maintenance of buildings, strengthening damaged civil structures, and minor repairs using funds available with school principals.
The MCD is also planning to procure new classroom furniture, which is typically manufactured by Tihar Jail factories. Enhanced digital infrastructure—such as interactive flat panels, smart boards, computers and printers—will also be prioritised as part of the department’s renewed focus on improving computer literacy among students.
The budget will continue Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) for school uniforms, bags and stationery into children’s bank accounts. “In cases where children do not have bank accounts, the transfer must be made to the parents’ accounts,” the official added.
He further mentioned that allocation has been planned for sports equipment for every school, and a school-level requirement list has already been prepared, pending approval.
Another key focus area will be clean drinking water for students. New water purifiers will be installed wherever necessary, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) testing will be carried out in schools to assess the concentration of organic and inorganic substances in water.