Free uniforms, milk may be in BMC school list
In an effort to check dropouts and dwindling enrollment in municipal schools, free uniforms, boots and milk—in addition to midday meals—could be introduced in the near future. “We will submit a proposal to this effect to the education committee. A significant number of children from poor families take admission in our schools. The new initiatives will act as added incentives,” said additional municipal commissioner (projects) Manu K Srivastava.
Earlier, Srivastava had proposed a plan to open 85 English-medium schools in the city. He had also suggested an extensive makeover for the existing ones. “The project is yet to get a final clearance but in all probability will be implemented by the next academic session. We are supposed to meet the education committee by the end of September or the first week of October,” said Srivastava. The initial work on the schools has already begun with the standing committee in the process of appointing consultants and architects for the purpose. The latter will be entrusted with the task of proposing necessary repairs and reconstruction facilities for the existing BMC schools.
A manual is also being created which gives suggestions on vocational classrooms, playroom, counselling room, special infrastructural requirements for the disabled and emergency provisions, among others. “Schools will also have language laboratories so that students are able to hear and learn English simultaneously in the process,” emphasised Srivastava. The purpose of the manual is to analyse specific educational needs and assist architects in preparation of plans and final designs. While 179 municipal schools have been identified, the first phase will see the introduction of 85-87 English-medium schools within the existing municipal school buildings across all 24 proposed wards. “This way parents will have the choice of sending their children to the English or the vernacular medium,” said Srivastava.
He also insisted that the project is not an attempt to compete with private schools but to ensure that students at municipal schools are not deprived of good-quality education. However, the implementation will be done in a phased manner. Accordingly, English will be introduced only in standard 1 in the first year and subsequently in the other standards every year. In addition to an independent advisory board that will be set up to supervise education, municipal schools also plan to tie-up with the District Institute of Education and Training or DIET for training the teachers.
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