Mumbai: Education system in the state requires a holistic approach and practical measures, claim Ashish Shelar, state education minister of school and higher secondary education.
Students of the state board are from different backgrounds and require an inclusive education for which the state has started the Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB).
The state began the MIEB last year as a pilot project to provide international curriculum to students of state board schools. Shelar said,
“The focus of MIEB is to improve and enhance the local language and provide students education at an international level. We want to provide students international level education with major focus on local languages so that students understand basic concepts.”
In response to the rising concern of the state board losing its academic importance and demand, Shelar claimed it is a gradual process of improvement. Shelar said, “Comparison between state board schools should stop because students of both the boards are different.
In state board schools we have students who come from an Adivasi background and we also have students who come from developed urban areas. Our academic system is inclusive as we have a wide range of students with varied needs, abilities and potential.”
On being questioned about the new schemes for education, Shelar claimed they have initiated capitalisation of fees through the Fee Regulation Authority (FRA).
“Ours is an open government because we are approachable to issues and grievances of teachers, parents and students. Before passing a new fee, schools have to first discuss the fee hike with the Parents Teachers Association (PTA). And, if parents find the fee hike to be inadequate they can appeal to the management,” Shelar stated.
In order to give more power to students, Shelar assured ‘Student Elections’ will be back on campus in the state. Shelar claimed, “We will begin student elections on campus from the next academic year.
Students are keen about campus politics as it helps them grow and understand politics better. But no political party intervention should be allowed on campus and we need to keep a watch on this phenomenon.”
