Ensure Schoolbooks Don’t Burden Children – School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar

Pune : School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar emphasized that while enhancing the quality of education, the burden of books on students should not increase. He also stressed the importance of providing students with good quality nutrition.

During a review meeting of the School Education Department at the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education in Shivajinagar, Minister Kesarkar addressed the officials. Present at the meeting were Commissioner of School Education Suraj Mandhare, Joint Director of State Educational Research and Training Council Shobha Khandare, Chairman of Maharashtra State Examination Council Nandkumar Bedse, Chairman of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Sharad Gosavi, Director of Education Mahesh Palkar, and other state education officials via teleconference.

Minister Kesarkar urged the Department of Women and Child Development to explore activities that can be implemented for children. He emphasized that teachers should make special efforts for the qualitative progress of students and that Education Service Week should be effectively implemented. He also highlighted the need for internet connectivity in all schools, proposing satellite connectivity for remote areas to facilitate online programs.

He stressed the necessity of good quality nutrition for school students, suggesting the inclusion of pulses and nutritious cereals in their diet. He instructed education officials to frequently visit schools and inspect the nutritional standards. Additionally, he suggested that teachers receive scout and guide training to provide better training for students. He also called for the effective implementation of the Chief Minister’s My School Phase 2 and Sanitation Monitor Phase 2 programs.

Under the Parasbag scheme, Minister Kesarkar encouraged fostering students’ interest in agriculture, integrating it into school education. He recommended coordination with the Agriculture Department for guidance and the development of school gardens, which would help reduce the school’s temperature and provide good food for children. He urged all Deputy Directors of Education to strive for 100% participation in the Parasbag scheme and requested funds from the district planning committee for pumps and solar systems.

He suggested organizing various competitions on Teacher’s Day, including the Mahawachan Utsav, educational campaigns, German language courses, and other interesting topics. He stressed that all student schemes should be implemented at the mission level, ensuring no student is deprived of their benefits. Officials should frequently check the quality of education, uniforms, notebook load, use of blank pages in notebooks, nutrition, the Parsbag Scheme, Scout and Guide training, the Shishyavarti Scheme, and the condition of school toilets and kitchen sheds.

To make school a pleasant experience on Saturdays, Minister Kesarkar recommended organizing various programs with the help of famous artists and implementing half-English medium education in model schools. He encouraged teachers to adopt new technology and appealed to every school to strive to raise the quality of education.

Commissioner Mandhare provided information about the Chief Minister’s My School Beautiful School Phase 2, Swachhta Monitor Phase 2, Mahawachan Abhiyan Phase 2, Paras Bagh Yojana, Education Service Week, Pavitra Portal, Center Pramukh Recruitment, and the master plan status regarding the approval of new self-funding schools.

On the premises of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Minister Kesarkar also participated in a tree plantation ceremony.