The Delhi government has directed all government schools and Special Training Centres (STCs) to conduct monthly counselling sessions for parents and guardians of out-of-school children (OoSC) during the current academic session. The initiative, implemented under the Samagra Shiksha programme and aligned with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, aims to improve attendance, reduce school dropouts, and help children remain connected to the formal education system. The directive applies to children enrolled in STCs as well as those who have been mainstreamed into government schools.

According to the Department of Education (DoE), out-of-school children include those between the ages of 6 and 14 who have never attended school, dropped out before completing elementary education, or remained absent for prolonged periods, resulting in their exclusion from the education system. The department said the primary objective of the Samagra Shiksha programme is to identify such children, enrol them in schools, ensure their continued education, and support their successful integration into mainstream classrooms.

The DoE noted that many out-of-school children face multiple challenges, including irregular attendance, learning gaps, migration, financial constraints, lack of parental awareness, and limited academic support at home. It said regular interaction with parents and guardians would enable schools to identify these issues at an early stage and implement timely interventions. During the monthly counselling sessions, teachers and school authorities will review students' attendance, academic progress, behavioural and emotional well-being, while encouraging parents to actively support their children's learning and participation in school activities.

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Schools have also been instructed to identify factors affecting each child's education and prepare follow-up action plans wherever necessary. To ensure maximum participation, Heads of Schools (HoSs) must inform parents about the counselling sessions at least three days in advance through phone calls or student diaries. Institutions have further been directed to maintain detailed records of every counselling session, including attendance and the issues discussed, to facilitate monitoring and future interventions.

To ensure effective implementation, Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs) will oversee the counselling sessions and submit action-taken reports to District Urban Resource Centre Coordinators (DURCCs). The consolidated district reports will then be forwarded to the Out-of-School Children (OoSC) Cell under Samagra Shiksha for review. The Department of Education said the initiative is expected to strengthen parental involvement, improve student attendance, reduce dropout rates, enhance retention, and advance the goal of providing universal access to quality school education across the national capital.

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