Nagpur: Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is starting six English medium school affiliated to State Education Board to provide quality education to all sections of society. Disclosing this on Monday, Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari said that an MoU was signed with Akanksha Foundation to run these schools. As planned, one assembly segment will have one school each and same in long run would help in arresting dropouts from civic-run schools. Admissions to KG-I, KG-II and Primary would start from current session only and citizens are going to respond positively to this new venture of NMC. As per the agreement, NMC would share part of expenses related to teachers’ salary starting with 30 per cent in first year and that would go upto maximum 45 per cent by fifth year with five per cent increase each year.
Teachers would be recruited by the agency and they would get salary as per VIth Pay Commission. Track record of Akansha Foundation, an NGO is excellent, and they run civic schools in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad and New Mumbai, said Dilip Diwe, Chairperson, Education Committee, NMC, while addressing mediapersons on Monday at Standing Committee Hall of NMC at civic headquarters. Existing six schools of NMC, where English medium schools are being started, are North Nagpur – Rani Durgawati Primary School; East Nagpur – Babhulvan Marathi Primary School; South West Nagpur – Late Baburao Bobde Marathi Primary School; West Nagpur – Ram Nagar Marathi Primary School; South Nagpur – Rambhau Mhalgi Nagar Marathi Primary School; Central Nagpur – Late Gopalrao Motghare (Khadan) Hindi Higher Primary School. These schools had closed down as students desired English medium and post RTE with admission available in reputed private schools, NMC schools suffered.
The schools were shortlisted after taking survey to ensure students do not have to traverse long distance to reach schools. NMC decided to go for English medium schools after an experiment in its G M Bantawala Urdu School showcased the demand for same. In first year when English medium was introduced, 350 students took admission that swelled to 1,735 very next year. So it was decided to replicate the experiment in other schools that were lying idle, said Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari who was also present at the press conference.
The education in English medium schools of NMC would be free of cost without compromising on quality. NMC would be incurring 266.5 lakh yearly expenses. Diwe said NMC would also provide free bus passes for students desirous of studying in their schools besides uniform and mid-day meals. Deputy Mayor Manisha Dhawde; Avinash Thakre, Ruling Party Leader; Sumedha Deshpande, Deputy Chairperson, Education Committee, also were present at the press conference along with Preeti Mishrikotkar, Education Officer.
