Education department may allow pvt schools own board

In a proposal that might bring good news to thousands of private schools across the state, the State Education department is mulling to allow such schools to set up 'private boards' which would allow them more academic and administrative autonomy. State Education Minister Vinod Tawde said that the government is considering the step to enable schools to have their own board with a view to boosting quality education.

"Today a large number of private schools are offering national and international boards like CBSE, ICSE and the IB. If we allow them to have their own boards and set up their own curriculum like we do with private universities, they would no longer be restricted by a particular framework. Students would highly benefit from this and we are thus coming up with a detailed proposal regarding the implementation of the same" said Tawde.

Tawde said that while such board would have independence in setting up their curriculum, grading and testing students, the state government would monitor these processes closely. "One of the main concerns that would be raised in this case is with respect to college admissions as all students would score as per their different boards. However, there is nothing to worry about that as something like a percentile system which was followed a few years back can be followed wherein those with a tougher syllabus would be allotted additional marks to bring them at par with the others" he added.

Educationists said that the plan seems to be too ambitious. City based educationist Kavita Sanghvi said "It is good that the government aims to give academic autonomy to schools but there are several questions about how this scheme would be implemented. To begin with, who will monitor what is being taught and evaluated in these private boards? Schools might use this autonomy to their benefit if there is no well established review system as some of the national and international boards".

Prashant Redij, President of the Mumbai School Principals Association said that there would not be any takers for the state board if all schools are allowed to have their own board. "Schools can be given the freedom to choose how to teach but giving a separate board would lead to commercialization of education and would violate RTE norms. If implemented the government would lose the little control that it has on private schools" added Redij.