Admit only 40 students in each class, civic body tells city schools

Starting this year, the 150-odd schools affiliated to the Archdiocesan Board of Education (ABE) will be the first to implement this revised ratio in phases.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) primary education department has taken undertakings from schools to admit only 40 students per class. This move is aimed at helping schools achieve the student-teacher ratio of 40:1 from Classes 1 to 8, as stipulated by the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

This move is aimed at helping schools achieve the student-teacher ratio of 40:1 from Classes 1 to 8, as stipulated by the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. (HT picture for representation)

Starting this year, the 150-odd schools affiliated to the Archdiocesan Board of Education (ABE) will be the first to implement this revised ratio in phases.

The ABE has asked its affiliated schools not to admit more than 40 students per class in kindergarten so that the requisite student strength will be achieved in Class 1 by 2018.

Father Francis Swamy, joint-secretary of the ABE, told Hindustan Times that the BMC took undertakings to achieve the ratio by 2018.

“As our schools currently have 60 to 70 students per class, it was not possible for us to implement the new ratio immediately. So, we have decided to begin with junior and senior kindergarten classes this year,” he said.

Schools are upset that this will nearly halve their intake. “This year, we received 750 applications from pre-primary students, but our intake has reduced from 120 to 80 seats in pre-primary. While we used to admit 60 students per class earlier, we will now only be able to accommodate 40,” said Father Jude Fernandes, principal, St Mary’s School (SSC), Mazgaon.

Indian Education Society (IES) Group of Schools has decided to follow it from academic year 2017-18. “Our admissions begin in November and so, we have sought permission from the BMC to implement it from 2017-18,” said Satish Nayak, trustee, IES.

The revised ratio will result in a shortage of seats in schools, said Nayak.

“The government will have to create more schools as the number of students per school will be restricted. Besides, there is no scope to increase the number of classrooms in every school.”

The revised ratio is unlikely to affect ICSE, CBSE and IGCSE schools as they have fewer students per class. However, principals said it could lead to fee hikes.

“ISCE schools have a limit of 45 students per class, but this move will hit parents in other schools as there will be a scarcity of seats and fees will be hiked,” said Rohan Bhat, chairperson, Children’s Academy Group of Schools.

Academicians said the revised ratio will improve the quality of teaching in classrooms.

“For the past 15 to 20 years, the number of students per class has been increasing unchecked. The 40:1 ratio is good and will improve the teaching quality in classrooms,” said Satish Lotlikar, managing trustee, IES Manik Vidyamandir School, Bandra.