PMC shutting down 10 Marathi medium schools

As students of Marathi medium schools are opting for either private schools under the Right to Education (RTE) Act or civic-run English medium schools, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is left with only two choices: closing the Marathi medium schools or merging them with English medium schools in the city.

According to officials, the education board of the PMC last week submitted a proposal for shutting down 10 Marathi medium schools to the civic general body as fewer students are getting admitted in these schools with parents preferring private schools through the RTE quota or civic-run English medium schools. Under the RTE quota, all private schools have to mandatorily reserve 25% seats for underprivileged sections of the society.

Accordingly, PMC commissioner Rajendra Bhosale has given his nod to shutting down these 10 schools as they are located in the same premises with classes conducted in two shifts. Technically, these 10 schools are getting closed due to fewer students but the existing students will continue in the same school with only one shift accommodating all of them. An education board officer on condition of anonymity said, “Earlier in 2017, the PMC had merged 17 Marathi medium schools and in 2019, the civic body was forced to merge another 22 Marathi medium schools for the same reason.”

According to former PMC standing committee chairman Hemant Rasne, the number of teachers was less previously. “Now, more parents are opting for English medium schools. The PMC on its part is increasing English medium schools and at the same time, approving the merger of Marathi medium schools to ensure that the number of teachers is proportionate to the number of students. Earlier, there were more students and less teachers, which has changed now,” Rasne said.

Rekha Waghmare, whose child studies in Class 5, said, “I am working as a domestic maid but I want to give my children quality education. I know that in PMC schools, kids get free books, uniforms and school bags but the education is not satisfactory. Even though we are not able to afford the private schools’ fees, we have admitted our child in a private school. We don’t know English but we have made our child join private tuitions nearby. I feel happy when my kid speaks English and is in good company.”

Ramesh Chavan, another parent, said, “With the help of a certain political leader, I got admission in a good private school under the RTE Act. Earlier, it was difficult for my son and he took a lot of time to cope-up with the other kids in the private school. But I am happy that he is now using good language at home and studying on his own.”

Yet another parent, Sonali Nangade, said, “I am a widow and do household work for a living. But I want to educate my kid. Due to my financial situation, I put my kid in the PMC school but realised that he wasn’t studying. He used to only play. Finally, I took admission in another school which is not run by the PMC. I don’t know about his studies but through WhatsApp, the teachers communicate with us. Even his surroundings and friends are better now.”