a day ago
Only 52% of PM-SHRI Schools in Maharashtra have playgrounds according to Lok Sabha Answer
Only 450 out of 860 (52%) of PM-SHRI Schools in Maharashtra have playgrounds according to data shared by Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary in the Lok Sabha. The data was provided on Monday in a written answer to an unstarred question by seven opposition MPs from Maharashtra.
PM-SHRI is a Union Government scheme wherein schools are developed to provide the quality education and ensure holistic development of all the students. These schools have Best in class modern facilities. This number excludes PM-SHRI Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samitis.
MPs Supriya Sule, Nilesh Lanke, Varsha Gaikwad, Bhaskar Bhagare, Bajrang Sonwane, Sanjay Patil, and Dhairyaheel Mohite Patil asked Minister to provide, among other information, the number of Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and PM-SHRI Schools currently operational in the state of Maharashtra. Details about student enrolment, infrastructure availability, and faculty strength in these schools, and district-wise information was also sought.
The reply stated that 3,05,210 students were enrolled in the 860 PM-SHRI Schools in the state, and the total faculty strength was 9,141. 450 of these schools have a playground, which was the only information provided under infrastructure. Nashik district had the highest number of PM-SHRI Schools at 47 followed by Yavatmal at 42, Nanded and Solapur at 39, and Pune at 38. Mumbai Suburban had the lowest number of PM-SHRI Schools (2) while Dhule district had 10 such schools.
In a statement shared with The Indian Express, Mumbai North Central MP Professor Varsha Gaikwad said, 'Maharashtra had the concept of Adarsh Shala even before PM-SHRI Schools and we had identified 488 schools under the same with all basic facilities. In the NEP, they copied this concept and renamed it PM-SHRI and cut funding for our Adarsh Shalas. Playgrounds were a mandatory condition under our Adarsh Shalas, but it is really concerning that only 52% of the schools selected under the PM-SHRI Schools have playgrounds. On what basis have these schools been named PM-SHRI Schools?'
Gaikwad added that the focus under the PM-SHRI Schools seemed to be more about building contractor friendly infrastructure rather than schools that provide holistic education for children.
The Indian Express spoke to Srikant Giri, Principal of PM-SHRI Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) School 53 B English, and Sangeeta Band, Principal of PM-SHRI PMC School 151 B, both of whom confirmed that their schools had a playground. Giri informed that his school was the first corporation school to be certified under PM-SHRI. Smart TVs, educational drawings on walls, sports equipment, and other facilities have been installed at the schools through the scheme funds.
It is important to note that the data shared in Lok Sabha does not match with the data on the PM-SHRI website dashboard. According to the Lok Sabha reply, out of the 38 schools in Pune district, only 24 have a playground.
However, according to the dashboard, all 38 schools in Pune have a playground. Similarly for the Ratnagiri district, the Lok Sabha reply stated that only 3 out of the 16 PM-SHRI schools have a playground, but according to the dashboard 12 schools have a playground. Such discrepancies were seen in other districts as well.
The reply also stated that the state has 60 Kendriya Vidyalayas with 76,790 students enrolled and having a faculty strength of 2,723. Pune district had the highest number of KVs at 16 while districts like Yavatmal, Washim, Solapur, Latur, Dhule, Aurangabad, Bhandara, and Parbhani had only 1 KV.
Out of the 60 KVs, 52 have been designated as PM-SHRI schools. The document also says, 'all KVs in the State of Maharashtra have sufficient infrastructure, basic amenities and ICT infrastructure, including smart classrooms, computer labs and internet connectivity, achieving 100% ICT saturation.'
PM-SHRI Schools – 860
With Playground – 450
Students Enrolled – 3,05,210
Faculty Strength – 9,141
Kendriya Vidyalayas – 60
PM-SHRI KVs – 52
Students Enrolled – 76,790
Faculty Strength – 2,723
Soham is a Correspondent with the Indian Express in Pune.
A journalism graduate, he was a fact-checker before joining the Express. Soham currently covers education and is also interested in civic issues, health, human rights, and politics. ... Read More
