The state has planned to form the Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB), an autonomous body that will decide curriculum for the schools and conduct exams. This decision comes after an earlier decision to set up 100 international schools to provide quality education in the state.
“In the first phase, we want to start 100 international schools that will impart international-level education. All these will be existing government schools, which will be affiliated with the MIEB”, said Vinod Tawde, state education minister.
The state will select 10 ‘model schools’, and each will help the other become international schools. The model schools will be called ‘Ojas’, and the remaining 90 schools will be called ‘Tejas’. The schools will impart education from primary, secondary to higher secondary, i.e class 1 to 12.
Rashmita Banerjee, a secondary school teacher said, “I think this is really going to put us on the map in terms of education, and is such a good example of how far we’ve come. Although we still have a long way to go, I welcome this move with open arm and I’m looking forward to see how it pans out.”
Delilah Monteiro, a student of class 10 added, “It’s too bad I won’t be able to be a part of the international board since I finish school in March, but I am very happy for those students who have the opportunity to study in this new board. I don’t know how difficult the studies will be, however I think it’s really going to benefit the students in the long term”.
Sundarajan Iyer, a parent, did not dismiss the move but did express certain concern over the existing boards. “While I think this is a huge step forward for our state, no attention is being paid to the real problems at hand. My son is an ICSE student and he is thoroughly overworked. The endless homework, back-to-back exams and overdone syllabus can really take a toll on the students. We have expressed our concern to the authorities but very little action has been taken. Homework and exams are normal, but making a student run like guinea pigs isn’t”.
The MIEB will have schools in languages such as Hindi, Marathi, Telgu, Kannada, Tamil, Urdu and Gujarati. The board will also have the authority to affiliate schools from other states, and even international schools. This is the first time the state will have its own international board.
