Colaba school lacks basic items, infra, CJP visit shows

The Colaba Market School, which has 1,294 students in classes 1-8, also grapples with a shortage of teachers, computers and other learning facilities

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Colaba Market School has no CCTV cameras or sanitary pads for female students, volunteers from the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) found on Wednesday during the outfit’s first programme in the city under the nationwide ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign.

On Wednesday, around 10-12 CJP volunteers visited the Colaba Market School around 3pm, accompanied by several independent activists (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

The school, which has 1,294 students in classes 1-8, also grapples with a shortage of teachers, computers and other learning facilities. Fire extinguishers and first-aid facilities in the school are inadequate, while textbooks, notebooks, scholarships and other financial assistance for eligible students are not always readily available, as per the 24-point report card prepared by CJP volunteers following their visit.

Akshay Shinde, CJP’s national coordinator who also visited the school, said that their overall assessment indicated the school needed improvement. The report would be submitted to the concerned authorities and they would be given one month to address the problems, he said.

“Our aim is to improve school infrastructure. We are visiting schools across the country and giving a one-month ultimatum to the authorities to improve facilities,” Shinde told reporters.

HT had, in August 2025, reported on problems students at the school were encountering, including an unsafe building which was subsequently pulled down, with students being moved to another building in the vicinity.

On Wednesday, around 10-12 CJP volunteers visited the Colaba Market School around 3pm, accompanied by several independent activists. As per the report card prepared by the CJP team, the school has an adequate supply of clean drinking water and electricity. Student attendance is also satisfactory and mid-day meals are provided to students regularly.

The report card, however, raised concern over the condition of toilets, safety of the school building, and the lack of adequate teachers, resulting in disruptions in regular teaching as per the timetable. Basic facilities for students with disabilities as well as CCTV cameras were not available, nor were sanitary pads provided to female students, the report card said.

Shinde said that when CJP volunteers asked the school in-charge to show them the latest requisition for sanitary pads, a three-year-old letter was produced.

The report card also noted positive initiatives taken by the school, such as coding lessons for students.

“Teaching coding is a good thing, but we found five students sharing one laptop, which is not enough. At least one laptop should be available for two students for proper coding practice,” said CJP volunteer Pranav Ahire.

Social activist and independent filmmaker Divya Unny, who accompanied the CJP team, said she had launched a social media campaign and gathered 150 volunteers who would visit schools and assess gaps.

“We are an independent group visiting schools, finding out the issues and trying to overcome them,” Unny said.

A BMC education officer who did not wish to be identified said they were unaware of the CJP’s visit and were collecting detailed information regarding the matter.