Officials of RTETF, which has been lobbying for quality education in government schools in the Capital, said they are mobilising students and parents by arranging meetings in slum clusters and parks for the last two months.

“We are calling on students to boycott classes in protest. We have reached out to over 10,000 of Delhi’s 2.5 million schoolchildren,” said advocate Ashok Agarwal, founder of RTETF.

Nearly 1,000 students attended a meeting held in a slum resettlement colony in Gautampuri last Wednesday.

The various meetings highlight the poor teaching standards—or the lack of any teaching—in government schools. NGO officials say rising teacher absenteeism, poor resources and a general apathy is increasing in these schools.

“The state must enforce the fundamental right to free and compulsory quality education. This, however is absent in Delhi—a reason why children drop out and become child-labourers,” said Agarwal.

Certainly, despondency among students is rife, says volunteer Ruksana Babudin. Take Hritik, a class III student at a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) school in Sultanpuri.

He’s luckier than other children as his teacher manages to turn up for class and attend to the register. But, this runs out fast. “Our sir doesn’t teach us,” says Hritik, “instead, he goes out to play football.”

The RTETF blames mismanagement for the poor standard in Delhi’s public schools. To counter this, they suggest forming managing committees for each school. This could help to instill greater accountability, appraisals, and performance-related pay in schools, according to the group. “There are a few good governments schools,” admits Agarwal, “but, we want it to be the norm.”

The urge for reform seems to be spreading as children like Utkarsha Agnihotri, a student from DPS, Saket, plans to boycott classes “in solidarity for the cause”. Agnihotri is organising a meet with his classmates to discuss the issue.