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Home > Mumbai > Mumbai News > Article > Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde reviews school department urges use of digital technology for quality education

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde reviews school department, urges use of digital technology for quality education

Updated on: 04 February,2025 10:20 PM IST  |  Mumbai
mid-day online correspondent |

He also directed that the successful Smart School initiative, implemented in Sangli and Satara districts, be replicated across the state to improve the quality of education

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde reviews school department, urges use of digital technology for quality education

Eknath Shinde emphasised that no funds should be withheld, and the full amount of benefits under schemes such as the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana and Shravan Bal Pension Yojana must be directly deposited into beneficiaries' accounts.

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Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde on Tuesday conducted a review of the School Education Department and instructed that innovative initiatives should be undertaken through the use of digital technology to provide quality education to students. He emphasised focusing more on future policies to reduce the student dropout rate and directed the department to work more vigorously and implement concrete measures for this purpose.


The review meeting of the School Education Department was held at the Sahyadri Guest House under Shinde's chairmanship. The meeting was attended by School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse, Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, Education Minister of State Dr Pankaj Bhowyer, Principal Secretary of the Education Department Ranjitsingh Deol, Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh, State Project Director of Maharashtra Primary Education Council R Vimala, Director of State Council for Educational Research and Training Rahul Rekhavar, and other officials from the School Education Department.


Deputy CM Shinde said, "The school visit initiative is commendable, as it helps in regularly receiving information about school management, quality of education, facilities provided to students, and physical infrastructure. This initiative should be implemented effectively across the state. All education department officials should visit at least one school every week. Teams should be formed to make surprise visits to schools and hostels."


He further emphasised that every student has different skills and talents, and these should be nurtured at the school level. "Many philanthropic individuals and institutions are eager to support and collaborate in the education sector. It is important to seek their cooperation," he said. "In addition to quality education, the health of students is crucial. Regular health checkups for students should be conducted, and the health department should provide assistance in this regard," he addd.

Shinde also directed that the successful Smart School initiative, implemented in Sangli and Satara districts, be replicated across the state to improve the quality of education.

School Education Minister Bhuse informed that the CM Shri Schools Scheme will be implemented on the lines of the PM (Prime Minister) Shri Schools Scheme. Under this scheme, one model school will be established at the taluka level. These schools will be equipped with digital facilities and provided with necessary infrastructure such as libraries, labs, and sports facilities.

During the meeting, Shinde also launched the School Quality Evaluation and Assurance Framework, which will help in assessing and ensuring the quality of education across schools in the state.

Establish quality control teams for monitoring hostels, schools, and food quality: Eknath Shinde

Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde on Tuesday also chaired a review meeting of the Social Justice Department and issued key directives aimed at improving the quality of services and ensuring the effective implementation of schemes benefiting marginalised communities. The meeting emphasised the need for surprise inspections of hostels, schools, and the quality of food provided to students, as well as ensuring that benefits are directly credited to bank accounts.

The meeting, held at the Sahyadri Guest House, was attended by Social Justice Minister Sanjay Shirsat, Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse, former lawmaker and Chairman of Maharashtra State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Anandrao Adsul, Additional Chief Secretary to the Deputy Chief Minister Aseem Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Deputy Chief Minister Naveen Sona, Principal Secretary of Social Justice Department Harshdeep Kamble, Commissioner Om Prakash Bakhoria, Managing Director of Sant Rohidas Leather and Leather Development Corporation Prerna Deshbhartari, Director General of BARTI Sunil Ware, Managing Director of Mahapreet Bipin Shrimali, among other officials.

Shinde emphasised that the benefits of various welfare schemes under the Social Justice Department must reach every eligible beneficiary, and the state must ensure adequate funding for these schemes. "For schemes like the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana and Shravana Bal Vrudhha Pension Yojana, we need to ensure that the benefits are directly credited to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries," he said, further instructing that surprise visits to hostels and schools under the department’s jurisdiction should be conducted to assess the quality of drinking water, cleanliness, housing arrangements, and food quality. "Ministers, secretaries, and officers should personally inspect the food quality and make sure there is no compromise on students' health. The quality of food served should be regularly monitored," he added.

The Deputy CM also stressed the importance of improving the accessibility of welfare schemes for the general public. He directed the department to focus on effective implementation, ensuring that the marginalised and backward sections of society are brought into the mainstream. Special emphasis was placed on the delivery of services at the local level to make the schemes more accessible.

To ensure the standards of facilities at hostels and schools, Shinde directed the establishment of a quality control team within the department. These teams will be responsible for conducting regular inspections and checking the quality of infrastructure and services. Additionally, the Deputy CM suggested the development of an app to allow people to file complaints regarding facilities, materials, and construction quality at hostels and schools.

"Efforts must be made to improve the facilities provided to students in the hostels managed by the Social Justice Department so that they can receive better education," Shinde emphasised. He directed that necessary steps be taken to improve the infrastructure and services at these hostels to ensure a better learning environment for the students.

During the meeting, there was a discussion on the implementation of both Central and state government schemes, as well as improvements in existing schemes and the launch of new ones. The department also addressed challenges in the execution of these schemes and explored ways to overcome obstacles.

 

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