Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Monday directed government schools to work towards becoming ‘zero-waste campuses’ by March 2027, and called for large-scale plantation drives under the ‘one tree in mother’s name’ campaign during the upcoming monsoon season.
Sood was interacting with 422 principals and heads of government schools during a hybrid-mode dialogue programme organised by the Directorate of Education at CM Shri School, Possangipur, in Janakpuri.
Participants represented five education districts and multiple zones across the city. The minister reviewed preparations for the 2026–27 academic session, and held discussions on academic quality, school infrastructure, cleanliness, safety, and administrative arrangements.
He directed district and zonal education officials to strengthen classrooms, laboratories, libraries, sports facilities, sanitation infrastructure, drinking water facilities, and digital learning resources in schools.
Emphasising the role of technology in education, Sood called for the effective use of smart classrooms and digital libraries, as well as ICT, language and vocational education laboratories to make learning more engaging and student-centric.
He also highlighted the importance of key educational programmes such as science of living, Neev (foundation) and Rashtraniti (nationhood and citizenship studies), urging school heads to ensure that these classes were conducted in an engaging and meaningful manner so that students benefitted fully from them.
Environmental awareness remained a major focus of the interaction. Sood said schools should adopt sustainable practices such as waste segregation, recycling, composting, and the responsible use of resources to achieve the goal of becoming ‘zero waste campuses’.
The minister also urged schools to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5 with enthusiasm, and continue plantation activities throughout the monsoon season.
He asked schools to ensure the participation of students, parents, school management committees (SMCs), alumni, and area residents in environmental conservation efforts.
School heads said smart classrooms equipped with digital boards, audio visual tools, and interactive teaching methods had significantly improved student engagement, learning outcomes, creativity, and confidence.
They also highlighted the positive impact of online teacher training programmes on professional development.
Sood said such dialogue programmes provided an effective platform for exchanging ideas, adding that the Delhi Government was committed to delivering quality, inclusive, and future-ready education to every student.
