Mumbai: Over the years, the decline in the number of state board-affiliated schools in Maharashtra speaks volumes about the shift in priorities of the school-going children and parents. Where at one time the SSC and HSC were the aspirational apexes, a proliferation of other options means that the traditional avenues have fallen out of favour with many.
As stated on the Maharashtra state board website, there are currently only 21,000 schools left in the state that are affiliated to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE). On the other hand, as per the Cambridge board website, there are 139 schools affiliated with the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) board in the western state. In total, there are 1345 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools in the state as mentioned on the CBSE board website. As per the Council for the Indian School of Certificate Examinations (CISCE), there are 267 schools affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) board.
Here’s what parents have to say:
Many parents of young children in Maharashtra may have studied in an SSC board background, but the ones who can afford it don’t want their children to follow the same school board.
“An advantage of going to an International school is that it becomes easy for the kid to go abroad after school,” said Rita Dedhia, a parent from Amar Mahal, Chembur. Though she agreed that it depends on every child and that a kid coming from SSC as well as CAIE boards can be equally intellectual, she believes that a child coming from an IGCSE/IB background shows more smartness.
“Our school observed us over the smallest possible things, right from perfectly trimmed nails to tucked in shirts to our hairstyle. On the other hand, what I experienced with my daughter’s school was that rules were not very strict, they sometimes used to let go of a few of these things by giving the kids multiple warnings,” she further added.
Nita Bhanushali, another parent residing at Ghatkopar, said, “It was a simple decision for me to make. Coming from the state board myself, I knew it just involves mugging up concepts. I didn’t want that for either of my kids. So, I put both my sons into an international school.” She further spoke about how extracurricular activities are compulsory in international schools, making it easier for the kids in future. She said that in a few state board schools kids have an option of participating in those activities. “For example, my children’s school asked for compulsory participation in almost every co-curricular activity, may it be annual day, sports day, science exhibition, or performing drama among several others. This is now helping them with other stage performances and in dealing with the public.”
Opinion of a member of MSBSHSE:
“Till what I know, parents have started developing a very weird mentality lately. They think that the state board schools have a lot of writing work for the kids, which is true. But what is the issue? More writing enables the kid to pick up the pace from the very beginning. Secondly, about the syllabus of SSC board schools; it is just general knowledge that a kid must have at that particular age,” said a member of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, who requested anonymity.
Parents nowadays don’t believe in increasing their kids’ writing speed. They rather think that it is important for the brain to run faster than the hands because writing is nowhere going to be useful in future, but a quick use of the brain would help today’s kids a lot.
Principals’ views on the debate:
Mrs Anna Correa, Principal, St. Stanislaus International School, said, “Mostly parents are choosing international schools because they pave an easy pathway towards education abroad. Secondly, with flexibility in the curriculum, parents feel they may have an edge.” She further added how in SSC schools the curriculum is more content-heavy and less application-based studies. “The curriculum is more of root learning in state board schools,” she added.
On the other hand, Mrs Maharukh Daruwalla, Principal of Sir Cowasjee Jehangir High School believes that to bring every child at par, it is necessary for the government to come up with some policies wherein all schools in the state run at the same level, allowing no discrimination of education boards. She said that when dealing with kids, it is important for every school to be on the same level.
“However,” she said, “SSC board schools, in my opinion, are still a better option. With the state board schools comes less stress. Teachers here are also more homely, and more personal attention is given to kids with not much technology involved. Moreover, the kids here have to actually look for answers to their questions, unlike in international board schools where answers are readily available at just a few clicks.”
Educators say:
Francis Joseph, School Leaders Network, spoke about how today’s parents dive deep into the curriculum. He said unlike in earlier times, parents now don’t directly believe what they hear. He further added that parents and students are curious and aware of spending their money correctly on education. He said, “This shift from SSC to CAIE schools has been witnessed for quite a few years now. The smaller teacher to students ratio in international schools allows more personalised and open learning. In my opinion state boards really will have to gear up or it will end up becoming the last option for every parent.”
Majorly, people nowadays prefer an international curriculum because it doesn’t involve parrot-reading and just memorising concepts. It involves a new, explored way of learning and teaching.
Alisha Mashruwala Daswani, CEO, OnCourse Vantage, said, “IGCSE and IB schools have a different kind of approach and education altogether. Education is more contemporary and more of an analysis. The mixing and matching of different subjects leads to a holistic way of gaining knowledge.”
Fee Structure:
Sequentially, SSC board schools charge the least or no fees at all. Next in the list come the ICSE board schools, where the average fees is about five thousand rupees. CBSE board schools charge even more, 20,000 on an average, followed by International board schools, where the fee structure is almost a lakh, on an average.
Nowadays, the money-spending capacity for quite a few families have changed, making it possible for them to admit their children into non-SSC board schools.
The government of Maharashtra, in 2020, started an initiative of launching Mumbai Public Schools affiliated with the ICSE and CBSE boards. The education is completely free for kids here, and 27 other articles are provided to them for free. Recently, two such schools were started by the government and are affiliated with the CAIE board. This is helpful for parents who can’t afford the high fee structure of the international schools, but still want their kids to study the Cambridge curriculum.
