Yashwantrao Chavan Centre Supports Protest Against Maharashtra Govt's Proposed School Closure Policy

Mumbai: The Yashwantrao Chavan Centre has extended its support to the Shikshan Vikas Manch’s agitation against the Maharashtra government’s decision to close Zilla Parishad and aided schools, urging the state to reconsider the policy and strengthen existing schools instead.

In a letter addressed to the School Education Department’s committee reviewing the issue, Dr Basavraj Kalyanshetti, chief coordinator of Shikshan Vikas Manch, said the proposed closures raised concerns about educational access, social equality and the future of children from economically weaker and marginalised communities.

Concerns over educational access and equality

The letter argues that government and aided schools are not merely educational institutions but important public spaces that promote social equality, equal opportunities and democratic values. These schools play a crucial role in providing education to children from rural and urban areas, particularly those from Dalit, Bahujan, nomadic, denotified and minority communities, as well as farming families.

Questioning the rationale behind school closures on the grounds of low enrolment, the centre said the government should first address the shortage of basic facilities and improve the quality of education. It pointed out that several schools continue to function without adequate classrooms, toilets, playgrounds and drinking water facilities.

Closing schools without addressing these deficiencies could deprive children of access to education in their neighbourhoods, the letter said, adding that the Right to Education Act, 2009, emphasises neighbourhood schooling as a fundamental principle.

Call for stakeholder consultations

The centre has urged the government to consult teachers, parents, education experts, local self-government bodies, public health institutions and other stakeholders before taking decisions affecting schools. It also called for concrete measures to improve infrastructure, recruit teachers and ensure that every child receives quality education close to home.

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Appeal to reconsider school closures

The letter said the ongoing agitation, launched to protect schools and safeguard the right to education for children from all sections of society, deserved public support. It appealed to the state government to take the movement seriously, reconsider its school-closure decision and formulate a comprehensive plan to strengthen government and aided schools across Maharashtra.

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