With the decrease in the number of students in Marathi-medium schools, many school managements are trying to shift their focus to English-medium schools With the decrease in the number of students in Marathi-medium schools, many school managements are trying to shift their focus to English-medium schools

The state education minister Vinod Tawde on Monday said that new English-medium schools would not be sanctioned in areas where Marathi-medium schools were suffering.

He said Marathi-medium schools were losing their hold and making way for English-medium schools in most parts of Maharashtra.

With the decrease in the number of students in Marathi-medium schools, many school managements are trying to shift their focus to English-medium schools. However in a meeting with principals and representatives of unaided schools, Tawde said, “Permission to set up new English-medium schools will not be granted if it would affect the functioning of existing Marathi-medium schools in the vicinity. There is a need to save Marathi schools, in whichever way possible.”

“Enrolment in Marathi-medium schools is falling steadily as parents’ aspirations climb and it is evident now. Each year the enrolment has been dipping as parents seek out private English-medium schools which have mushroomed across the state and suit almost every budget,” said Prashant Redij, convenor and spokesperson of Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary School Principals’ Association (MSSHSSPA)

Currently, there are at least 70,000 Marathi-medium schools, up to class X, in Maharashtra. However according to the school managements, the number of students is dropping every year.

“Nowadays permission is granted to start a new school very easily, especially if it is an English-medium school and an influential management is seeking to start it. Is the government even verifying whether there is a requirement of a new school in that area? We have no objection if schools are being set up in areas where there are no schools. Instead of finding ways to attract students to Marathi-medium schools, the government is driving them away by permitting new English-medium schools. These English-medium schools shift to other non-state boards after a few years and increase their fees accordingly,” added Redij.

The plight of civic-run Marathi-medium schools in the city is even worse. In 2010, there were 413 Marathi medium schools run by BMC. The number has declined to 369, till 2015.

School managements planning to apply for new English-medium schools were ‘shocked’ by the announcement, but the MSSHSSPA has welcomed it. The shift is because of the demand from the people,” said a trustee of a school board in Goregaon.

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