BMC schools under scanner
Ex-Municipal Councellor wants 25 child per class norm initiated
SAYLI UDAS
THE SHODDY state of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools in the
city is soon to be brought under the scanner.
A resolution, in the form of a letter, stressing on an overhaul, will come
up during the education committee meeting on Tuesday. Ex-Municipal
Councillor and Chairman of the Mumbai Mahanagarpalika Shikshak Sena, KP
Naik, has put in the letter addressed to the commissioner, requesting
prescribed guidelines to fix the average number of students per class to 25.
Currently each of the 1,118 schools has overcrowded classrooms with 80
students in each class and one teacher handling four classrooms at a time.
However, representatives of the civic body claim short age of funds is the
main cause for the neglected state of the schools. “Things will change in a
year when we get funds,” promises Mangesh Satamkar, speaking about the norm
that was set by the State Department for Education to restrict 25 students
per class in BMC schools.
The resolution sent by Naik states that if the total number of students were
fixed at 25, then it would be possible for teachers to pay better attention
to each child. Which, in other words, would amount to allocating appropriate
homework, develop each child’s reading and writ ing skills and setting up
proper methods of evaluation through the year by having unit tests.
However, this ideal situation, which may be the need of the hour, does not
seem feasible to the BMC’s education department. “I do agree that classes
are overcrowded, especially in areas like Malvani, Shivaji Nagar and Sion.
But the proposal is not feasible as we do not have enough funds or space to
support it,” said Satamkar.
He added saying that if they are to implement the 25 students per class
norm, it would mean splitting students from each classroom into three
groups. That would correlate to acquiring more space to accommodate them,
additional staff and better infrastructure. “That cannot happen immediately.
Till then, the present 4,74,037 students will need to study under the
present conditions,” he added.