In an era where government schools are often written off as under-resourced and ineffective, a small Zilla Parishad (ZP) school in Khed taluka, which is located 60 km away from Pune City, has rewritten that narrative confidently and convincingly. And the man behind this transformation is Dattatray Ware, aka Ware Guruji.
In February 2022, Ware, a national award-winning teacher, was transferred to the ZP school in Jalindarnagar village, Khed, following a controversy. The school had merely 5-6 students and was on the verge of getting shut down. Rather than accepting its decline, Ware, with his initiative, improved the school’s facilities and developed new learning practices. His initiatives led to a surge in enrolment, taking the school’s strength to 120 students in just three years. Parents from nearby villages lined up to secure a seat for their children in the very same school, which was on the verge of being closed.
Ware first rose to prominence in 2012 when he joined a ZP school in Wablewadi village of Shirur taluka. Back then, the condition and education quality were declining in the government school. With just 34 students, the school's future looked uncertain. Through innovative teaching methods, community engagement and a focus on holistic student development, Ware transformed the school into a model institution. Student enrolment surged to 534. The school’s success attracted national and international attention, with educationists and administrators visiting Wablewadi to study its methods. In 2016, Ware’s efforts were formally recognised when he received a National Award for Teachers, cementing his reputation as a changemaker in public education.
However, the rise was followed by a sudden fall. In November 2021, a local resident lodged a complaint alleging that Ware had demanded donations for school admissions and misused his position. Acting on the complaint, the Zilla Parishad constituted a five-member inquiry committee headed by an additional CEO-rank officer. The inquiry culminated in Ware’s suspension.
Ware consistently denied all allegations, maintaining that his work and intent had been misrepresented. After months of uncertainty, the administration revoked Ware’s suspension in February 2021 and transferred him to another ZP school in Pune district. Many believed the controversy would overshadow his work permanently. But history, it seems, has a way of repeating itself.
With just two anganwadi teachers, Ware bought the Jalindarnagar ZP school at a global platform. The school in Khed won the ‘Community Choice Award’ at the 2025 edition of the World’s Best School Prizes.
'Government schools are the best schools in the world'
The Free Press Journal team visited the institution and found that it had many visitors from different schools, NGOs and companies who came to understand the structure and functioning so they could implement similar practices.
Speaking to the paper, Ware said, "Government schools are the best schools in the world. Today, my school has only two teachers, and we are managing a total strength of 140 students. Our school recently won an international award for the best school. We try to complete the syllabus in just three months. Then we focus on practical learning in robotics, 3D printing and learning new advanced technologies. We are giving a kind of education which is available in all the developed countries to make our students ready to take the lead and have dominance on a global platform. We wanted to prove that advanced teaching and quality education can be provided in a ZP school, and we proved it."
"We have third-grade students making robots and doing coding, and learning advanced technologies. A lot of companies have also come forward, and they have helped us in their capacity. Today, we have teachers coming from city schools and understanding our model. Parents want their child to get admitted to this school. Education can only bring change, and we have to make sure that everybody gets a fair chance and a good education, and that is what I'm working on," he added.
