State to Start Grading 4,000 Primary, Secondary Unaided Schools Soon
Permanently unaided government schools in the state will
now be eligible to get government aid, if they meet the desired assessment grades.
The state government will soon start grading 4,000 primary and secondary unaided
schools across Maharashtra. Fifty marks will be given for academic quality, 35 marks
for infrastructure and 15 marks for value education and extra-curricular activities.
It was also decided if a particular school fails to meet the standards for three
consecutive years, the government will derecognize it.
Schools that secure 70 marks will become eligible for government aid, which will
be disbursed in stages, over a period of five years, starting from the academic
year 2012-13, said sources in the state education department on Thursday. According
to an official, "Tribal schools and schools that are academically backward will
need to secure 65 marks during the evaluation. Also, of the 50 marks, schools will
need to score a minimum of 37.5 marks in the academic assessment."
The academic assessment will include parameters such as school inspection, number
of students passing in first class grade in standard X, number of dropouts as well
as use of computers and other learning aid technology. In the infrastructure assessment,
study material, laboratory, library, play ground, toilets, and drinking water facilities
will be evaluated. The third category, for 15 marks, will be evaluated on the basis
of counsellings, programmes arranged as part of the social responsibility of schools,
rain water harvesting and use of renewable energy.
"The state government had stopped allotting aided schools in 2001 and announced
that all schools allotted thereafter would be permanently unaided. Around 2,000
secondary and 2,000 primary schools were allotted between 2001 and 2009. The government
decided to bring these unaided schools on the list of aided schools in June 2009
but had not started the funding," said the official.
Courtesy: Times of India
