'BMC schools failed to alter mindset of people'

MUMBAI: All the efforts made by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to improve the standard of education in civic schools have failed to attract students. Recently, the BMC revamped several of its schools, introduced tabs, virtual classrooms, etc. Along with this, the civic body has even started 35 international schools from this academic year, while also providing better sports facility to the students.

However, parents and experts feel that despite of all the efforts, the authorities have failed to convince parents, who do not see value in sending their children to the civic schools run by the BMC. “What they fail to tackle is the mindset of the people. Even after making groundbreaking changes in the schools’ infrastructure or the curriculum, the mindset of the public is hard to erase or alter. Parents out there still feel it will be “degrading” to send their child to civic schools, as according to them it is only for the slum students,” said Rajalakshmi Shivbalan, a senior professor who is currently working with NGOs that focuses on bettering the quality of education in the government and civic run schools. She continued, “But the corporation should take it in a good way by providing better to best education and environment to the students, who are coming to them with hopes.”

Meanwhile, Shekhar Kajun, another senior professor feels education’s backbone is the studies and giving an overall growth both mentally and physically should be a school’s basic agenda. “We are right now focusing on the outer things like fancy walls, best to best electronic appliances in order to attract the students. A best school don’t really need to “attract”, as if it is good students will automatically turn up. Basically, focus should be on best teachers, quality education and a healthy environment for each child.”