Latest news with #MahendraGanpule
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Weeks before opening day, uncertainty over third language in Marathi-and English-medium schools in Maharashtra
The 2025-26 academic year is set to begin on June 16 in Maharashtra, but there is still no clarity on the implementation of the three-language formula in Class 1 of Marathi- and English-medium schools under the state board. Originally, a Government Resolution (GR) in April had declared the introduction of three languages in Marathi- and English-medium schools under the Maharashtra State Board and mandated Hindi as the third language. However, after a backlash, the state government rolled back the decision, making Hindi optional. While the state reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the three-language policy, it also promised a separate GR detailing alternative options to Hindi and curriculum guidelines, which is still awaited. While State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) Director Rahul Rekhawar was unavailable for comment, an official from the state's school education department said that the three-language policy would still be implemented. 'SCERT is currently working on the curriculum for languages other than Hindi to be introduced as third language options,' the official said. However, until the detailed guidelines are issued, schools are uncertain about how to proceed, with just weeks left before the new academic year begins. 'Schools cannot decide the third language on their own. These guidelines have to come from the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) along with textbooks. These were ready for Hindi when the state declared it the mandatory third language in Marathi- and English medium-schools of the Maharashtra state board. But with Hindi now optional, we have no clarity on what other languages can be offered or how to teach them,' a senior language teacher from a Mumbai school explained. Class 1 will see the introduction of a new curriculum framework aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. One of the major changes announced was the addition of a third language in Class 1 of Marathi- and English-medium schools under the state board, where only two languages were taught until now. But in the absence of clear guidelines, the feasibility of launching the three-language system this year is uncertain. A principal from a school in Thane noted, 'Teacher training for the new curriculum has already begun, but it does not cover the third language component. This only adds to the confusion.' The former head of the Maharashtra School Principals' Association, Mahendra Ganpule, added, 'The original State Curriculum Framework for the foundational stage, which covers Class 1, did not include three languages. Thus, the subject plan and timetable guidelines do not include the third language for Class 1. The introduction of a third language was announced later via a GR with a Hindi mandate. But now that Hindi is made optional, we still don't know what the alternative language options will be.'
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Children studying in govt schools in Maharashtra to get personalised health cards
Children studying in government-run and aided schools in Maharashtra will now get personalised health cards which will have up-to-date information after regular health check-ups conducted in schools. State has also developed a dedicated health app to store this information digitally for each student. Further, in case a health check-up of any student shows requirement of further medical treatment, such support will be provided through schemes available under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), a Central government initiative. This initiative is implemented through the National Health Mission and targets early detection and treatment of the '4Ds'—Defects at birth, Diseases, Deficiencies, and Developmental delays, including disabilities—among children aged 0 to 18 years. The state's school education department made the announcement on Tuesday via a Government Resolution (GR) declared in this regard along with detailed instructions for schools. An official from the school education department said, 'In rural areas, there are children having health issues such as hearing loss, imperfect vision or vitamin deficiencies etc. which remain unnoticed. Regular health check-ups in schools will ensure that every child with any illness or physical or other difficulty is identified soon and required medical support can be provided.' Under this initiative, committees will be set up at different levels for effective implementations. The district-level committees will include officers from the school education department of the government to decide planning for annual health check-ups and maintain the data. Whereas taluka level committees will further include local medical officers, doctors, nurses etc along with education officers to conduct health check-ups in school. The GR clarifies that the schools will have to take responsibility for conducting health check-ups, as per the annual plan decided to conduct health check-ups on different intervals. Dedicated medical inspection teams, each consisting of two medical officers, a doctor, and a nurse, will be provided at the taluka level. These teams will visit kindergartens, schools, and ashram-shalas to conduct on-site health check-ups. Children identified with serious ailments will be referred to higher medical facilities for further treatment or surgeries, as per the programme's guidelines. Welcoming the move, Mahendra Ganpule, former head of the Maharashtra School Principals' Association, said, 'Such health check-ups were happening in some schools wherever the School Management Committees (SMCs) took initiatives with help from locals. However, this initiative will ensure that every child in all government schools is getting this facility. It is very important as many times even their parents are unaware of certain health issues. Furthermore, digitally stored data ensures that even if a child changes school, due to relocation of parents, his or her updated health-card will be accessible to the new school.'
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
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.'
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Teachers raise concerns over sudden GIS mapping deadline and app download instructions
Mumbai: With the academic year-end workload already peaking, teachers across Maharashtra are facing additional stress over a last-minute directive from the state school education department to complete Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping of school infrastructure by April 25. The process requires uploading photographs of school facilities—such as name boards, classrooms, toilets, kitchen sheds, and drinking water sources—through a government app called Maha School GIS 1.0. However, the app is not available on the Google Play Store. Instead, an Android Package Kit (APK) file was circulated by the government for manual installation, prompting serious safety concerns. 'To install the APK, we were asked to allow apps from unknown sources, which compromises the security of our phones,' said a teacher from Thane district. 'The instructions were sent late Friday night via WhatsApp groups run by district education officers, and we were expected to begin work the very next day.' Teachers say the absence of an official government circular and the lack of technical support only worsened the confusion. 'Many of us use the same phones for sensitive work like banking. Why are we being asked to risk our devices for an unofficial app?' asked a teacher from Mumbai. The app requires OTP-based verification through the principal's registered number linked to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), creating further complications for teachers tasked with the on-ground data collection. Several teachers also questioned the need to re-submit infrastructure data, which they said had already been uploaded through the School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) in recent months. 'This seems like a duplication of effort,' one teacher pointed out. Mahendra Ganpule, former vice-president of the State Principals' Association, criticised the rushed timeline. 'Earlier, GIS reviews were conducted once every three years through physical visits by zonal officers. Now, teachers who are already busy with exam duties, result compilation and mid-day meal reporting are expected to take on this added responsibility at short notice.' He added, 'Why repeat the same process through a privately-developed app without sufficient safeguards, and in such a tight window?' Sachindra Pratap Singh, commissioner, school education department defended the initiative, saying it would help in assessing the ground realities of school infrastructure and planning improvements accordingly. 'Saturday is usually a lighter work day, which is why it was selected,' he said. He further stated that app is using for internal purpose, and it is secured. He also said, 'This information will be helpful to the parents before take admission to their children in the school.'
