Ravindra Waikar questions 40-students rule
State minister for education Ravindra Waikar has asked the BMC to clarify its stand on the student/teacher ratio after the BMC got schools to sign an undertaking that they would not admit more than 40 students per class. The issue was termed as illegal by MLC Kapil Patil. Mr Waikar has asked the BMC to explain why it forced the schools to give the undertaking while there is no restriction on the intake capacity.
On Sunday, MLC Mr Patil had staged a protest against the high-handed attitude of the BMC in forcing schools to sign an undertaking of not to admit more than 40 students per class. “The Right to Education Act has recommended that the student/teacher ratio has to be 40:1 per class but there is no restriction on the number of students. However, by getting the schools to sign an undertaking, it is forcing the school to turn away excess students,” said Mr Patil. He further questioned whether the BMC would be starting an additional class for the students who could not be admitted.
Meanwhile the Yuva Sena also met Mr Waikar regarding the same issue and exhorted him to intervene in the issue. “The students will suffer due to such a rule. With limited teachers in schools, the excess students will be forced to drop out which is against the RTE Act. We met Mr Waikar and apprised him of the situation and he said he would look into the issue and speak with the BMC officials,” Pradeep Sawant, who is a former senate member, Mumbai University and also part of Yuva Sena.
State education minister Mr Waikar called on the BMC education department officials and asked for an explanation on how it could get schools to sign an undertaking restricting intake of students. “Mr Waikar asked the BMC officials to clarify their stand and clear the ambiguity surrounding such an order as it would mean denying students their right to education,” said an official from Mr Waikar’s office.