Marathi medium schools should shift to semi-English medium due to the increasing preference of parents towards English, a committee set up by the Maharashtra state government has recommended. This was one of the many measures the committee recommended for boosting enrollment in local self-governing body schools in the state. Headed by Ramakant Kathmore, Joint Director of Primary Education, the committee submitted its report on March 22.

The report says, “Considering the increasing preference of parents for English-medium schools, special attention should be given to the English subject. Semi-english classes should be started. Enterprising teachers and the supervisory system should guide schools/teachers in teaching methods and provide training as needed. With SMC (School Management Committee) approval, action to shift to a semi-English medium should be taken.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, Kathmore said, “This system already exists in many Zila Parishad and private schools. In a semi-English medium school, Science and Mathematics subjects are taught in English while other subjects are taught in the medium of the school like Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, etc. But it is not restricted to just that. We have added that it should be taught with a standard. The necessary guidance and training should be provided.”

“These days, parents have a preference towards English. If English will be taught well as a language in our schools, then there will be no need to go to English medium schools. NEP says that mother tongue education should be given preference, and that is what this will do,” he added.

Reacting to this recommendation, Tanaji Mane, President of Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary School Principals Association, said, “When Vinod Tawade was the education minister, 30 of us principals had a meeting with him. At that time the topic had come up that if Marathi schools had to survive, unconditional approval for semi-English should be given immediately to whoever wants it. Let them teach in whatever language they want, even if they want to teach geography in English.”

“In rural areas, buses full of students go beyond their villages to go to English schools in bigger towns. Providing education is the primary job of the government. For the survival of government schools, approval for semi-English should definitely be given,” he added.

Dada Bhuse, Maharashtra Minister of School Education and Sports, in a written reply in the Vidhan Parishad on February 24, had informed that “As parent’s preference for admitting their children to English-medium schools is increasing, 255 Marathi schools in the regions of Konkan, Vidarbha, Western Maharashtra, Marathwada, and North Maharashtra closed down in the last two years.”

Additionally, the committee has recommended felicitation and publicity of students successful in tests like scholarship exams, organisation of activities through alumni associations, attracting Corporate Social Responsibility Funds, formation of Whatsapp groups with parents and circulating videos of success stories of accomplished alumni of the schools on social media to boost credibility and various other measures.

As in previous years, the State Government has also launched a ‘Gudhi Padwa-Pat Vadhava’ or the ‘New year-increase enrollment’ scheme. Among other things as a part of this campaign, the State government has urged Gram Panchayats to implement a tax-exemption campaign to offer concessions on local taxes as an incentive for parents to enroll their children in Zila Parishad schools.