Mumbai: The year 2022 has been full of ups and downs for the education sector with schools trying to introduce the National Education Policy 2020 for the first time ever.
However, the education department, the education ministry of Maharashtra, and the state government have made several key decisions to improve the current scenario in educational institutes of the state.
Here are four such announcements that Deepak Kesarkar, School Education Minister, Maharashtra, made with a vision to better school education.
On December 22, Deepak Kesarkar announced in the State Assembly that 30,000 teaching and non-teaching staff would soon be appointed to increase the quality of education in government-run schools. The minister said that out of the total appointments to be made, 50% will be completed by the next month's end. The announcement was made after several students, parents, and teachers opposed the government's earlier statement about closing schools having less than 20 students.
In addition, he mentioned that according to the Right to Education Act even if any school has just one student, the government is entitled to ensure that the child gets good quality education.
On December 12, at the Free Press Journal's Mumbai Schools Survey Awards ceremony, held at Lower Parel’s St Regis Hotel, chief guest, Deepak Kesarkar said that the government is very soon going to implement providing education to school students in their mother tongue.
He added that now the schools have an option of choosing the language of instruction and the language in which the students should be taught, mother tongue can be opted by schools. The minister’s idea to implement the move was based on the thought that students can easily grasp what they learn in their mother tongue. Mentioning the National Education Policy 2020, Kesarkar spoke about the mandate of teaching in the mother tongue till class 5, as stated in the policy.
At the same event, the Cabinet Minister also notified the principals, and other educators present at the event about the government mulling to start vocational training for school students from grade 6 onwards.
Talking about how essential vocational services are to the world, he said that it becomes more important to impart vocational training to students at the right age.
“To fulfill all vocational needs of the world, it is necessary for us to play a part in educating our students accordingly,” the minister said. In addition, he reiterated that the world also needs carpenters, plumbers, and electricians more than just needing engineers and doctors.
Hence,” he added, “Once the government gives a final heads-up to implement the idea, schools in the state will have to start providing vocational training from grade 6 onwards, but with a carefully-chosen set of subjects.”
In September, Deepak Kesarkar announced that the state government is mulling over reducing the burden on school students by stressing that students studying in primary sections should not be given any homework.
He said the government believes that the children going to primary sections should not be given homework as it pressurizes them. On the same day, the minister also mentioned that the government would soon do something about reducing the weight of students’ school bags.
