25 December,2010 07:22 AM IST | | Rinkita Gurav
To pull up attendance in municipal schools, lectures go virtual
In order to attract more number of students to municipal schools, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to install a virtual education system in all municipal schools across the city.
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The students will be taught through the system which will be connected through satellite and reach all the municipal schools.
The BMC's virtual education system in all municipal schools will start functioning from January 15, 2011. The system will be used for tutorials and lectures for the SSC students
The system that will start functioning from January 15, 2011, will be used for tutorials and lectures for the SSC students. From the next academic year, the system will be used for all the students.
Rahul Shewale, chairperson of the standing committee, said, "We want to see the reaction of the students at the beginning and if they like it, it will be taken forward.
For this academic year, we will be using it only for the SSC students who require guidance before the board exams."
The system will be used across all English, Urdu, Marathi and Hindi medium schools.
A teacher will address students in all schools from a central studio located in Andheri and have interactive sessions with them. "The technology will attract the students and also be helpful for them," said Shewale.
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He expects the number of students to increase in municipal schools after the implementation of this technology.
"MMRDA has already installed the system in a few schools in 13 talukas of Thane district and is used for teaching students in remote villages. After Thane, we are installing the system here," said Shewale.
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The standing committee has proposed the BMC to waive 50 per cent charges levied on the properties running Marathi municipal schools.
The properties would be charged 50 per cent less tax amount and also a 50 per cent rebate on water bills. "We need to stop the constant shutting down of Marathi schools," said Rahul Shewale.
The number of students has reduced, leading to financial difficulty in maintaining the schools, he said.
The municipal commissioner has also agreed to the proposal and said it will be in effect soon.
Number Game
413
Number of Marathi schools in city
5,100
Number of students who dropped out of Marathi schools last year
Did you know?
Since 1995, 100 municipal schools were closed down which was found after a PIL was filed in the Bombay High Court. The schools were closed down by the BMC as the number of students had reduced from 534 students in 1989 to 212 in 2008.
