Maharashtra: Cosmetic gimmick

The 365 primary-cum-secondary (classes K-X) schools owned and run by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (i.e. Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation) — the richest civic government countrywide with a budgeted expenditure of Rs.19,931 crore for fiscal 2009-10 — suffer a massive image problem. Although the corporation proposes to expend a sizeable Rs.1,431 crore for the education of its 650,000 students (a handsome Rs.22,015 per child per year), there seem to be fewer takers for the education dispensed by BMC schools. While no self-respecting or aspirational middle-class household would dream of enroling its children in a BMC school, even parents lower down the social pecking order are deserting them, despite their offering free tuition, uniforms, textbooks and mid-day meals. Yet notwithstanding the steady flight of students from its Marathi medium schools, civic fathers don’t seem to have cottoned on that poor households — for whose benefit BMC schools exist — want English language, if not English medium, education for their children; motivated and accountable teachers, and better learning outcomes. Even though in 2008, the corporation had to close down 188 of its schools under the pretence of renovation. The flight from government schools is a statewide phenomenon. According to Mumbai-based educationist J.M. Abhayankar, in 2007-08 total enrolment in Maharashtra’s private schools (7.9 million) exceeded enrolment in government schools (7.7 million), for the first time ever. Instead of attending to fundamental academic issues to stem the flight of students from its schools and provide taxpayers with greater value for their money, BMC educrats have fashioned a new gimmick to enthuse its low-income parents and students clientele. With effect from the start of the new school year beginning July 2009, 200,000 classes V-X students of BMC schools will be given free-of-charge special training in music, swimming, athletics, singing, drama, sculpture and sports. To provide these co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, BMC proposes to rope in experts from various fields to conduct special classes for children. Abasaheb Jadhav, BMC’s education officer, says that work has begun on a master plan to introduce special classes, “so that BMC schools are not inferior to private schools in the provision of holistic education”. Admission into special classes and coaching programmes will depend upon students’ interests and aptitude. According to him, among the star sportsmen and performers signed up are cricketers Pravin Amre and Vinod Kambli; actors Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah, Sachin Pilgaonkar and Charushila Sabale; singer Abhijeet Sawant, and Doordarshan newsreader Swati Sathe. Significantly, Jadhav and other BMC officials refuse to divulge the additional amount budgeted for this project. Unsurprisingly, monitors of Maharashtra’s education scene are less than impressed by the latest rabbit pulled out of BMC’s hat. “I don’t see the point of all these cosmetic gestures. They are PR activities which will provide a good photo opportunity for BMC officials. The actual challenge before BMC is to improve infrastructure and teaching standards in schools so that students receive useful education. An annual budget of Rs.1,431 crore for education is a large amount, but I am sure that not…