This is an archive article published on October 27, 2020
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300 zilla parishad schools to be turned into ‘model schools’ in Maharashtra
In these schools, the state plans to promote merit in education, achieve academic standards and promote the overall development of children, officials said.
This year, the process has started early as several thousand RTE seats last year went vacant.
In a bid to attract more students to state schools, the state Education and Sports Department on Monday released a list of 300 Zilla Parishad schools that it plans to turn into “model schools” in the first phase.
In these schools, the state plans to promote merit in education, achieve academic standards and promote the overall development of children, officials said. A government notification stated that the idea was to attract parents to such schools, and ensure that students feel like coming to school on Saturdays and Sundays and participate in school activities. It added that these model schools envision an administrative set-up such that teachers enjoy teaching and remain with a particular school for at least a period of five years.
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The notification also stated that basic levels of reading, writing and computational skills will be essential for students. Libraries should provide diverse books, and initiatives including self-study groups should be promoted to encourage creative and critical thinking, scientific temperament, collaboration and communication, it added.
Facilities such as independent toilets, drinking water facilities, well-maintained buildings and classrooms, playgrounds, sports equipment, ICT labs, science labs and libraries should be available. As stated in the National Education Policy, model schools should serve as the function of a “school complex”, wherein other schools and teachers can use their facilities.
In order to relieve academic stress, every Saturday should be declared as a bag-free day, the notification read.
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The plan to develop model schools was announced in the state assembly held in March this year. Based on geographical maps, schools with Classes I to VII have been selected from each taluka.
All schemes at the state, district and village levels will be converged to undertake a programme to develop such schools, the notification added.
This year, the process has started early as several thousand RTE seats last year went vacant. 
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