New Delhi: Emphasising the need for enhancing the knowledge base of children by not restricting them only to classrooms, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday announced that students of Delhi government schools will soon be sent on "Bharat Darshan" trips at least once in their 12 years of study period.
The chief minister said that schools in Delhi are the best in the country and as an "humble gift" to the teachers, the government has extend their retirement age from 62 to 65.
"We have recently established a children`s academy. Many people had various apprehensions about the academy. Our goal is not to keep our children only inside the classroom but also give them knowledge about the outside world," she said on the sidelines of a function on Teachers` Day.
"The first programme which we have thought about through this is taking the children at least once on a Bharat Darshan trip. The children should learn about various aspects of our country. This will enhance the children`s knowledge and reach," said the chief minister.
Praising the teachers in various schools, she said the teachers and the students in Delhi are the best in the country.
"Good teachers train better students. And our humble gift to the teachers is that we have decided to extend their retirement age from 62 to 65. The decision was taken recently in the cabinet. This might have taken some time but it was finally done," she said.
Emphasising the need for bringing about constant change to cope up with the changing scenario of education, the chief Minister said, "Although the number of students are ever increasing but still the teachers in Delhi have ensured that the students here are the best educated and through this extension in the retirement age, we have given the teachers their right."
"Children these days face a lot of challenges and keeping those in mind we have to bring changes according to the need. We will not back out as far as training teachers and children are concerned," she added.
The chief minister awarded 74 teachers with cash rewards of Rs 25,000 on the occasion of Teachers` Day. While 47 teachers belonged to the government, government-aided and private schools, 12 were from schools belonging to Delhi Municipal Corporation and others like physical and sports and Yoga teachers.
PTI
