Maharashtra education dept to prepare comprehensive plan for schools

According to the education department officials, the comprehensive plan may include suggestions like identifying schools as educationally advanced and backward based on student population, teacher-student ratio etc. New schools will not be permitted in areas already having schools

The state education department will draw up a comprehensive plan for schools as it aims that the institutes are evenly distributed across urban and rural areas.

A comprehensive plan for schools was prepared in 1990. At present, there seems to be more schools than required in the state, and private schools are closing down, says official. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The department on Friday released a government resolution (GR) under the Maharashtra Self-Financed Schools (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2012 and the Maharashtra Self-Financed Schools (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2020 covering new schools on self-financed basis and upgradation of existing schools.

“We have found that there are a few self-financing schools in rural areas as compared to urban places. A panel under the chairmanship of education commissioner Suraj Mandhare has been appointed to prepare a comprehensive plan for schools,” stated the GR.

According to the education department officials, the comprehensive plan may include suggestions like identifying schools as educationally advanced and backward based on student population, teacher-student ratio and school count in an area. New schools will not be permitted in areas already having schools.

“New schools can come up in places where the performance of existing ones is unsatisfactory. The government will encourage setting up of new schools at educationally backward areas by giving relaxation in terms of land and fixed deposit. Strict rules will be made for new schools to be set up in educationally advanced areas as it will be monitored by local authorities with periodic inspection. These schools should have skilled manpower and reasonable fees, besides implementing government initiatives,” the GR reads.

“A comprehensive plan for schools was prepared in 1990. At present, there seems to be more schools than required in the state, and private schools are closing down. The government should prioritise the implementation of expected changes as per the National Education Policy and focus on quality improvement,” said senior educationist Vasant Kalpande.