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Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Maha govt schools to offer Cambridge course free online
1 2 Nagpur: Students in Maharashtra govt schools will soon have the opportunity to learn about climate change directly from the University of Cambridge, courtesy an initiative taken by minister of state for school education Pankaj Bhoyar. The state education department is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) next month with Cambridge University Press & Assessment, which will kickstart various other capacity-building initiatives. As part of this, a free online course on climate change awareness will be offered to students of Classes 8 to 10 in English and semi-English medium schools, and upon completion, students will receive certificates issued in the name of the prestigious university. Bhoyar said, "Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has always stressed the need for providing govt schoolkids with the highest quality of education. We took this forward and decided that knowledge sharing with stakeholders of global repute is one of the key factors. Right from students to teachers, our effort will be to raise the bar for all, and our schools will also provide a global level of education." The initiative is part of the govt's push to raise the standard of state-run schools to global levels, following the CM's directive to all departments to prepare 100-day plans to boost performance. Bhoyar, who holds a PhD in econometrics, led the discussions with Cambridge Press through its India arm. Bhoyar will travel to the UK this month, following an invitation by the Cambridge, to discuss crucial topics like online schooling, teacher capacity and English language, library resources etc. According to Cambridge's proposal, the 'Climate Quest' programme has been designed by experts from Cambridge Zero — the university's climate response initiative — and aligns with India's National Curriculum Framework. It aims to equip students with knowledge and skills to become climate-conscious citizens, fostering environmental responsibility at the grassroots level. It's expected that the MoU will also pave the way for advanced teacher training. Selected 'master trainers' from Maharashtra will be trained to improve teaching methodologies and bring them on par with international standards. Other areas of collaboration being discussed include creation of teacher library resources and exploring online schooling models. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
01-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Freezed since 2012, teacher hiring must restart: Former ZP member
Nagpur: As almost 70 teachers from Nagpur's Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools retired last week, it was a grim reminder for the local body education system where teacher hiring has been stopped since 2012. Each year, the retirees keep moving out, but no fresh full-time staff is being hired, say former officials. In the interim, excess teachers were shuffled across schools to fill gaps. Sharad Bhandarkar, former Kendra Pramukh who oversaw a cluster of ZP schools in Nagpur, said, "Slowly over the next decade or so, the full-time teacher strength would have dwindled drastically. The govt must restart hiring of teachers. Sixty-eight of them retired last week, and this trend continues." There are around 6,000 teachers in ZP schools, but these units face a problem of low enrolment. There are ZP schools where fewer than 20 students study, which then impacts the number of teachers who can be assigned to the school. This is because the state govt has a pupil-teacher ratio, popularly called PTR, and that dictates the hiring dynamics. Education office sources suggest that falling student enrolment — partly due to migration towards English-medium institutions — has also affected staff numbers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cervecería Nacional CFD: Calcula cuánto podrías ganar invirtiendo solo $100 Empieza a invertir Inscríbete ahora Undo But former ZP member, Avantika Lekurwale, who headed the Women and Child Welfare Committee, said students will flock to schools if quality education is provided. She said, "Many Marathi-medium schools in Nagpur are thriving because they offer strong learning outcomes. Quality of education in schools is the key to retaining students as already several schools have shifted to semi-English instruction, proving that medium is not the core concern. For the last 12 years, not a single teacher was hired, and we have almost 700 vacancies." To partially address this, the govt has begun hiring contract teachers, Lekurwale said. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
COVID-19: Isolation beds kept ready in Kalyan-Dombivli civic hospitals
Thane: Amid the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra , the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district has kept 15 isolation beds ready at two civic hospitals to meet any urgency, officials said on Thursday. Maharashtra reported 107 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total of viral infections detected in the state so far this year to 1,700, as per the public health department. Two more deaths of COVID-19 patients also were recorded in the last couple of days, taking the toll since January to 21, an official release on Wednesday said. Of the new infections, 34 were recorded in Mumbai, one in Thane district, seven in Thane Municipal Corporation limits, five in Navi Mumbai, one in Kalyan Municipal Corporation, four in Pune district, 44 in Pune Municipal Corporation, seven in Pimpri Chinchwad, one in Sangli, two in Sangli Municipal Corporation and one in Nagpur Municipal Corporation, it said. As part of COVID-19 preparedness , 10 isolation beds have been kept ready at the Bai Rukmini Bai Hospital and five at the Shastri Nagar Hospital , and RT-PCR and antigen testing kits are available, KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal told reporters. "People should report symptoms promptly and not panic," he said. On monsoon preparedness, he said a 24x7 emergency control room is operational at the municipal headquarters, with deputy commissioner-level officers on night duty. Emergency rooms have also been activated in ward offices, with specially assigned multi-departmental teams. An NDRF team has already arrived to coordinate disaster response and awareness, the official said. Reaffirming the civic body's commitment to quality education, Goyal said the KDMC will launch five semi-English schools from the academic year 2025-26. "To ensure quality education, a guardian officer has been appointed for every municipal school," he added. The civic body also unveiled initiatives under the BaLA (Building as Learning Aid) method, introducing mural-based learning and improving school infrastructure, including repairs, furniture and timely distribution of books, uniforms and essentials. Under the "Nipun" programme, primary education will be prioritised, with digital quality monitoring through the Vinoba Bhave App and regular inspections by guardian officers, the civic body said.
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
COVID-19: Isolation beds kept ready in Kalyan-Dombivli civic hospitals in Maharashtra's Thane
Amid the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district has kept 15 isolation beds ready at two civic hospitals to meet any urgency, officials said on Thursday (June 12, 2025). Maharashtra reported 107 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday (June 11, 2025), taking the total of viral infections detected in the State so far this year to 1,700, as per the Public Health Department. Two more deaths of COVID-19 patients also were recorded in the last couple of days, taking the toll since January to 21, an official release on Wednesday (June 11, 2025) said. Of the new infections, 34 were recorded in Mumbai, one in Thane district, seven in Thane Municipal Corporation limits, five in Navi Mumbai, one in Kalyan Municipal Corporation, four in Pune district, 44 in Pune Municipal Corporation, seven in Pimpri Chinchwad, one in Sangli, two in Sangli Municipal Corporation and one in Nagpur Municipal Corporation, it said. As part of COVID-19 preparedness, 10 isolation beds have been kept ready at the Bai Rukmini Bai Hospital and five at the Shastri Nagar Hospital, and RT-PCR and antigen testing kits are available, KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal told reporters. "People should report symptoms promptly and not panic," he said. On monsoon preparedness, he said a 24x7 emergency control room is operational at the municipal headquarters, with deputy commissioner-level officers on night duty. Emergency rooms have also been activated in ward offices, with specially assigned multi-departmental teams. 'An NDRF team has already arrived to coordinate disaster response and awareness,' the official said. Reaffirming the civic body's commitment to quality education, Mr. Goyal said the KDMC will launch five semi-English schools from the academic year 2025-26. "To ensure quality education, a guardian officer has been appointed for every municipal school," he added. The civic body also unveiled initiatives under the BaLA (Building as Learning Aid) method, introducing mural-based learning and improving school infrastructure, including repairs, furniture and timely distribution of books, uniforms and essentials. Under the "Nipun" programme, primary education will be prioritised, with digital quality monitoring through the Vinoba Bhave App and regular inspections by guardian officers, the civic body said.
Hindustan Times
12-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
COVID-19: Isolation beds kept ready in Kalyan-Dombivli civic hospitals
Thane, Amid the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Thane district has kept 15 isolation beds ready at two civic hospitals to meet any urgency, officials said on Thursday. Maharashtra reported 107 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the total of viral infections detected in the state so far this year to 1,700, as per the public health department. Two more deaths of COVID-19 patients also were recorded in the last couple of days, taking the toll since January to 21, an official release on Wednesday said. Of the new infections, 34 were recorded in Mumbai, one in Thane district, seven in Thane Municipal Corporation limits, five in Navi Mumbai, one in Kalyan Municipal Corporation, four in Pune district, 44 in Pune Municipal Corporation, seven in Pimpri Chinchwad, one in Sangli, two in Sangli Municipal Corporation and one in Nagpur Municipal Corporation, it said. As part of COVID-19 preparedness, 10 isolation beds have been kept ready at the Bai Rukmini Bai Hospital and five at the Shastri Nagar Hospital, and RT-PCR and antigen testing kits are available, KDMC Commissioner Abhinav Goyal told reporters. "People should report symptoms promptly and not panic," he said. On monsoon preparedness, he said a 24x7 emergency control room is operational at the municipal headquarters, with deputy commissioner-level officers on night duty. Emergency rooms have also been activated in ward offices, with specially assigned multi-departmental teams. An NDRF team has already arrived to coordinate disaster response and awareness, the official said. Reaffirming the civic body's commitment to quality education, Goyal said the KDMC will launch five semi-English schools from the academic year 2025-26. "To ensure quality education, a guardian officer has been appointed for every municipal school," he added. The civic body also unveiled initiatives under the BaLA method, introducing mural-based learning and improving school infrastructure, including repairs, furniture and timely distribution of books, uniforms and essentials. Under the "Nipun" programme, primary education will be prioritised, with digital quality monitoring through the Vinoba Bhave App and regular inspections by guardian officers, the civic body said.
