Idol teachers, school to be recognised by state, 3 levels of committees to be formed
To honour and encourage teachers who impart quality services with regards to their profession across the state, the Maharashtra School Education and Sports Department has decided to recognise 'idol teachers and idol schools'. In addition, a bank of these idol schools will be created and idol teachers and schools will be involved in the state's education department.
The concept of idol teachers and idol schools was introduced in a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Monday. Idol schools will be selected on the basis of activities conducted in schools, new learning methods, implementation of government goals and policies like the Mukhyamantri Majhi Shala Yojna, and beautification of schools. The teacher's conduct, daily attendance of students, scholarships, involvement in art, sports and culture as well as participation in higher education, will be some of the criteria for the selection of these schools and teachers.
The GR also stated that the idol teachers and schools selected will be involved in work under the Education Department. Based on this work, the State Council for Educational Research and Training and other institutions will consider idol teachers as 'master trainers'.
Plans to visit idol schools, involving teachers and other active members of these schools as teaching guides in municipal schools, and filming the work of idol teachers and schools should be done by the State Council for Educational Research and Training and District Education and Training Institutes in a routine manner, the resolution stated. This would also include publicising their work and holding group meetings of idol teachers and idol schools.
Three levels of committees — at the taluka, district and state levels — will be formed for this. The taluka-level committee will consist of the group education officer, lecturer of the district education and training institute, an educationist, two centre heads, and an extension officer. The district-level committee will consist of the district collector, zila parishad chief executive officer, principal of the district education and training institute, primary and secondary education officers, two educationists, and a senior lecturer. The state-level committee will consist of the Education Commissioner as the head of the committee, the director of SCERT, deputy director, and joint director of the State Council of Educational Research and training institute, two educationists, and the directors of Primary and Secondary Education.
Mahendra Ganpule, Former head of Maharashtra School Principals' Association told The Indian Express, 'It is a good initiative. Mukhyamantri Majhi Shala Yojna also was in place for two years and many schools got updated. The schools made efforts to better their physical infrastructure due to the competition. Everyone tries to show their ability when there is a competition.'
However, he added that a lack of funding received by schools in the state was a major issue that also needed to be looked into. He said, 'If they get proper funding, only then will they be able to have much better equipment and compete better. The non-salary grant that schools get is the same since 2013. But expenditure has increased almost four times. New initiatives like CCTV cameras and e-learning websites also add to the cost and schools find it difficult to bear them.'
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