Maharashtra to start open school education board soon

Mumbai: On the lines of the an open university pattern, the Maharashtra government is planning to start an open school board (OSB) to enable students complete school education outside the formal school education system. 

Extraordinary students, sportsmen and even those who did not get an opportunity to appear for school exams can benefit from the proposed OSB scheme. 

The scheme has been approved by the state cabinet. State education minister Vinod Tawde announced about the OSB scheme in the legislative assembly on Tuesday. 

Mr Tawde said that the Maharashtra education department is planning to start a state open board on the lines of an open university. 

“We are going to start an open board for those who missed the opportunity to complete their school education,” Mr Tawde said. 

Many people who are deprived of mainstream education or have dropped out of regular school due to various reasons can complete their education via the OSB scheme. 

The minister said that this will give opportunity to adult workers, housewives and others. 

The new board will function under the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. The syllabus of the board would be different from the regular syllabus of the Secondary Education Board, an official said. 

The board will have subjects like agriculture, economics,  science and technology, bakery production, screen printing, information technology, co-operatives. 

It will also have languages such as Marathi, English, Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Sanskrit.