In a press conference held today, Mahesh Chander Sharma, chairman of the Education Committee, said that by the end of March 2000, all the 1,010 tents which function as classrooms in 33 schools, will be replaced by tin structures. The special `low cost' design, which has been made by the Engineering Department, will be erected with the support of steel pillars with tin sheets on top. Since it will be bolted to the base, which will be made of bricks, it can be shifted to another area when required.

Sharma said that a single structure for 35 students will cost Rs 30,000. Electrical fittings will be provided and arrangements will be made to ensure a regular supply of drinking water to these schools. Special benches which will seat four students will also be made in MCD workshops for these schools. C.M. Vij, engineer-in-chief, MCD, said that construction work will begin with six schools in Shahdara and Rohini from May 1.

Sharma said that in a bid to upgrade their education system, teaching of English will begin from Class III. Moreover, computer education will be imparted in primary schools to students of Class V. In the first phase, primary teachers will be imparted given computer education during the summer vacation and from July onwards, the students will be taught computers. Sharma said that he had written to all MPs to contribute money from their development funds and a beginning had already been made with Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Kumar Malhotra having pledged Rs 10 lakh for the purpose of buying computers for their Model Schools.

Speaking on the occasion, Prakash Chandra, Additional Commissioner (Education), said that they would be undertaking repairs in most of the 62 school buildings declared `dangerous'. He said that it had been found that in most of these schools, only the roof was damaged. Along with that, efforts would be made to raise the level of schools in low-lying areas, which were prone to water logging.