On Republic Day,teachers,parents to raise pitch for Marathi medium schools

Amala Bhagwat from Shikshan Haqq Samanvay Samiti,an organisation of 100 unaffiliated Marathi medium schools in the state,said,“We have not even asked the government for grants. If needed,we’re ready to give in writing that we will not ask for grants as we’re financially stable and capable of functioning unaided. Earlier,when we had staged a hunger strike from April 4 to 6 in Mumbai last year,school education minister Rajendra Darda had urged us to call off the strike and assured a decision would soon be taken on financially independent schools. However,no decision has been taken on the matter so far.”

She added that parents should be given the freedom to decide whether they want their kids to go to English or Marathi medium schools. It seems that the state government is making this decision by not allowing Marathi schools to come up,said Bhagwat.

On January 26,the Samiti will hold book reading sessions by primary school students,followed by a street play at Alka Talkies Chowk.

Anandini Kshirsagar,a parent participating in the protest,said,“My son just scored 100 per cent from a Marathi medium school in the city. Both me and my husband studied in Marathi medium schools and colleges and later did our post-doctoral work in the UK. We never faced problems due to language. After moving to India from the UK,we wanted our son to go to a Marathi medium school. He,too,has managed quite well.” She added that when the state has a policy for shops to display their names in Marathi,the indecision on Marathi school affiliations was hypocritical.

Asked about the progress in the matter,G K Mhemane,joint director,secondary education,said,“State-wide mapping was done in July 2011 to find our which areas need Marathi schools. Aaffiliated schools have also been looked at in the process. A master plan has been published,and the government is expected to decide on it soon.”