The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has approved converting all its municipal schools into English-medium institutions. The decision was approved during a general body meeting held on Monday, March 23. The move is part of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Education Transformation Policy 2026.
The proposal led to a strong discussion among members. As per reports, Abhijit Desai from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena raised concerns about giving too much importance to English at the cost of Marathi. House Leader Sagar Naik said it will improve access to quality education and benefit students from middle-class and economically weaker families.
The policy will be introduced in phases. It will not affect all students at once. Students who are already enrolled will continue their education in their current medium. The English-medium system will begin with new admissions. The civic body also plans to improve school infrastructure. Teachers will be trained to handle English-medium teaching. Schools will be provided with the required facilities.
The policy is expected to benefit a large number of students. Children from financially weaker sections are likely to gain the most. There is also an expectation that this step may reduce the demand for private English-medium schools. Furthermore, some education experts have raised concerns on how the Marathi language will be preserved.
In response, Naik clarified that Marathi will remain a compulsory subject in all English-medium schools. He said the new plan is expanding opportunities through English and not replacing Marathi.
The civic body has also planned staffing changes. Specialised teachers will be hired for the initial kindergarten batches. Existing teachers will be trained for higher classes. Efforts are being made to fill staff shortages. Marathi-medium teachers will receive structured training. This is being done to ensure their job security.
The policy also includes new academic additions. Skill-based learning will begin from Class 7. Students will receive career guidance support. Aptitude tests will be conducted in Classes 4 and 7. There will also be exposure to fields such as robotics and artificial intelligence. Sports development will also be given importance to support students who perform well outside academics.
Data and Stats:
Around 50,000 students are enrolled in NMMC schools
Total number of municipal schools: 80
Primary schools: 57
Secondary schools: 23
Primary school breakdown:
Secondary school breakdown:
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