‘MCD schools sidelined in CWG celebrations’

NEW DELHI - Students of schools run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have been ignored and left out of the Commonwealth Games celebrations, MCD education committee chairman Mahendra Nagpal said Friday.

“Not even a single MCD school student was invited to participate in any Games activity by the organising committee and the Delhi government. The closing and opening ceremonies and other pre- and post-events associated with the Games are participated only by the private schools,” he told IANS.

“The most sought after Games’ mascot Shera has visited only big schools, ignoring the MCD schools. This showcases complete indifference towards municipal schools which have students mostly from the lower strata of society,” he said.

There are as many as 1,746 MCD schools in Delhi with about 10 lakh students on their rolls.

“The MCD school students have been sidelined while students from the private schools like Mount St. Mary, Delhi Public School and Air Force Bal Bharti have been given importance. They are participating in the song and dance performances at the Games’ Village for international athletes and other delegates,” Nagpal added.

He said such international exposure and participation was needed more for municipal school students as they are exposed less to the international community.

Meanwhile, a Delhi education department official said: “It is bad that the students from the municipal schools and the Delhi government schools have been ignored by the Commonwealth Games organising committee.”

“At least they could have involved them in pre-Games events or they could have provided complimentary tickets for watching the opening ceremonies of the Games — this way they would have been part of the mega sporting event,” the official said.