According to reports, the Maharashtra education department is touted to transform 500 schools as model schools in Mumbai instead of 300 as planned before.
In a report by the Times of India, the schools will be upgraded for infrastructure, teaching and learning outcomes. Last October, the state education department shortlisted 300 zilla parishad institutions as ‘model schools’ as part of its plan to transform 1,500 schools in four years. While the initial list consisted of 300 rural schools, following recommendations from local officials, people’s representatives, it was extended to include 500 schools.
On the other hand, for the last few months, parents have been protesting for the reduction of school fees on account of financial constraints and economic loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, on February 17, around 300 parents of the students studying in private unaided schools of Maharashtra staged a protest at Azad Maidan over fees charged during the pandemic.
With regards to fees in private schools, the government has prepared the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Fees Regulation) Act-2011 and the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Fees Regulation) Act-2016. However, difficulties have been reported at the administrative level in enforcing the rules.
Meanwhile, the government have been constantly receiving complaints from parents about school fees. Therefore, a committee is being set up under the chairmanship of the Joint Secretary School to suggest amendments in this Act. As per reports, the committee consists of Director Balbharati, Joint Secretary Law (School Education), Joint Director Primary, Education Officer Secondary, Sub-Inspector of Education, Mumbai, Senior Auditor, Solapur, Office of the Superintendent of Education Commissioner.
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