Mumbai : The two-day statewide ‘schools bandh’ on Wednesday did not get much support as several headmasters of Mumbai and Thane-based schools did not participate, in the interest of the school and a promise from the chief minister to look into their long pending demands.
However, several unaided schools managements in Marathwada, Vidharbha and Kolhapur region had kept the schools shut in protest against the failure of the state government to fulfil their long-pending demands, including funds for qualified graded schools and sanction for its batches and retaining the status of autonomy to private education institutes. According to officials, an estimated 460 educational institutes out of 1,622 in Marathwada are still awaiting grants and aids from the state.
The association of teaching and non-teaching staff of unaided schools held a rasta roko agitation to attract the attention of local officials.
Education Action Committee and Union of Headmasters in Mumbai on Tuesday had announced their in-principle support to the ‘bandh’. However, schools were open during the agitation. Ashok Belsare, president of Shikshak Bharti, said: “In principle, we declared support but we are equally concerned about students… The CM took a positive step by scrapping the draft proposal of education policy. We thought we should give the state some more time to resolve the issue by discussio.”
