155 ZP, local body schools in Vidarbha to be developed as Model Schools

 

 

 

School Education and Sports Department of Maharashtra Government has given its nod to developing 500 schools of Zilla Parishad (ZP) and local municipal bodies in the State as ‘Model Schools’ in the first phase of the ambitious plan to develop total 1,500 such schools. Of 488 schools in the first phase, as many as 155 are proposed to be developed in Vidarbha region. In the State Budget for the year 2020-21, it was announced to develop existing 1,500 schools as ‘Model Schools’ with various facilities including virtual classrooms. Accordingly, a list of 300 schools was prepared in the first phase of the ambitious programme. Prior to making public the said list of names, the department circulated it on October 26, 2020, to Chief Executive Officers of all Zilla Parishads, seeking their comments.

 

However, the suggestions for inclusion of new names kept coming in from elected representatives, Chief Executive Officers of various ZPs. Some schools also sent proposals. Also, the Government felt the need to include 81 schools of Maharashtra International Board of Education, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), Government Vidya Niketans, and schools from urban areas in the list. After deliberating over all these aspects and taking its time, now the department has made public the list of 488 schools to be developed as ‘Model Schools’ in the State. As far as Vidarbha region is concerned, total 155 schools have been selected to be transformed into ‘Model Schools’. The highest 27 schools in this list are from Amravati district, followed by 20 from Buldhana. As many as 17 schools from Nagpur district are in the list, including 14 under ZP and three under Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

 

The schools proposed to be transformed into Model Schools in Nagpur city are as follows: Tajabad Urdu High School, Sanjay Nagar Hindi High School, and Kapil Nagar Hindi Upper Primary School under NMC; and ZP (Ex-Government) High School, Katol Road, Nagpur city. Of these, ZP (Ex-Government) High School will have classes from Std V to X. Tajabad Urdu High School will have classes from Std V to XII, Sanjay Nagar Hindi High School (Std V to X), and Kapil Nagar Hindi Upper Primary School (Std I to VIII). The other schools are under ZP. These include Upper Primary Schools at Mahalgaon (Bhiwapur tehsil), Wanadongri (Hingna), Tidangi (Kalmeshwar), Wadoda (Kamptee), Kondhasaoli (Katol), Pachkhedi (Kuhi), Ghotmundhari (Mouda), Bazargaon (Nagpur Rural), Ambada-Saywada (Narkhed), Salai-Mokasa (Parseoni), Ajani (Ramtek), Chankapur (Saoner), and Shedeshwar (Umred tehsil). The schools proposed to be converted into Model Schools will have pre-primary classes in school premises, minimum 100-150 students on rolls, attractive building, classrooms in accordance with the number of students, adequate number of separate toilets for boys and girls, drinking water and hand-wash facilities, kitchen and store-room for mid-day meals, educational and sports material, library/reading room, computer room, virtual classroom, power supply, compound wall, fire extinguisher and emergency exit, safe tranport facility for students. The students in these Model Schools are proposed to be prepared for Std V scholarship examination. Even the best teachers should be sent for training within and outside the country, state the norms. However, the funds for all these facilities are to be made available from corporate social responsibility of various industries/companies, and through public participation apart from Government aid.