Brett Lee's 'Mewsic' bus takes lessons to Delhi slums

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee's "Mewsic" and education bus rolled out on the streets here Wednesday to provide education to children in the slums of northwest Delhi.

The "Mewsic Bus", a mobile learning and music centre, would provide basic education to children to enable them to enrol in a mainstream school.

"These kids have never been to school before. So the bus gives them their first taste of that. We try to make learning fun with music, to engage and entice them on a daily basis," Brett Lee said.

The bus would operate six days each week and offer classes lasting two hours each day to children of slum communities of Saraipipal Thala, Wazirpur industrial area, Haiderpur village and Bhalswa J.J. (jhuggi-jhonpri) cluster.

"Along with the focus on literacy and numeracy, children would get health education, learn life skills and develop latent talent in music, art and dance," Lee said.

The bus is operated by Mewsic, a Brett Lee foundation, in partnership with Deepalaya, a non-governmental organisation here.

"We were running an education bus, but integrating music into education will act as a stimulation, making the classroom more engaging," said A.J. Phillip, president of Deepalaya.

The bus is equipped with musical instruments, an education and music curriculum and tutors on board.

Following a successful launch on Delhi roads, a similar scheme would also be launched in Lucknow, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai, the organisers said.