Education minister to conduct surprise checks in 100 schools through the year

Kala Killa Marathi Municipal School in Dharavi. The initiative aims to boost students’ confidence and provide quality education. File Pic/Atul Kamble

In a bid to strengthen the foundation of school education, the Maharashtra government, under the directives of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has launched the Visit to 100 Schools initiative, which is designed to evaluate school conditions, implement necessary improvements and enhance the overall quality of education for students.

As part of the initiative, on the first day of the academic year 2025-26, the chief minister, deputy chief ministers, cabinet ministers and MLAs will visit schools in their respective constituencies to personally welcome students. Additionally, the school education minister and department officials will conduct random inspections of 100 schools throughout the year to review their infrastructure, academic standards, and overall operations.

Arundhati Chavan, president of Parents Teachers Association United Forum, who believes the initiative has potential to instil accountability

A formal government resolution will be issued soon outlining the execution of this initiative. Elected representatives will be expected to visit at least one school in their constituency or nearby areas on the first day of school. Education officers (Primary/Secondary) will coordinate with district collectors to ensure smooth implementation of the initiative.

The plan also mandates that key officials, including the school education minister, district collectors, tehsildars, chief executive officers, group development officers, and Class 1 and Class 2 officers working in government agencies at the district level, visit 100 schools throughout the academic year. "These visits will focus on reviewing school operations, monitoring academic quality and evaluating available facilities," said an official from the school education department.

Goals of initiative

The initiative, officials said, will encourage direct engagement between officials, educators and students to address real-time challenges in schools. During their visits, representatives and officers will interact with the school management committee president, sarpanch, and gram panchayat members to explore ways to boost student enrolment, particularly in district council schools in rural areas. The visits will assess physical infrastructure and safety of school buildings, availability and functionality of toilets and clean water supply, quality of sports facilities and supplementary educational arrangements, efficiency of school administration and hygiene practices among students and effectiveness of the school nutrition programme. If hazardous infrastructure, non-functional facilities or other critical issues are identified, immediate corrective measures will be taken to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for students.

"The idea is that through this initiative we aim to foster a positive outlook toward education among society and parents, enhance students' confidence and ensure equal access to quality education. By involving top leadership in school visits, the initiative aims to bridge gaps in education policies and their real-world implementation, thereby strengthening the state's education system," said a senior official from the school education department.

‘A valuable effort'

Welcoming the initiative, Sushil Shejule, president of Aamhi Shikshak (We Teachers), emphasised the importance of hands-on decision-making. "Many policies are formulated in air-conditioned offices, only to later prove ineffective and require revisions or cancellations. This initiative should not become another such endeavour. Instead, it offers a practical approach to identifying school shortcomings, assessing conditions firsthand, and implementing necessary improvements. If elected representatives and top educational officials visit the schools, they will witness and know the issues firsthand instead of schools chasing them to bring the problems they face to their notice. This will ultimately benefit students and the education system as a whole," he stated.

Arundhati Chavan, president of the organisation Parents Teachers Association United Forum, acknowledged the initiative as a positive step. "As an organisation representing both parents and teachers, we believe this is a valuable effort. However, we are keen to see the specific guidelines and framework for its execution, as well as how effectively it is implemented. If carried out with seriousness and sincerity, this initiative can instil accountability in schools, teachers, education officials, and even elected representatives and ministers."

"That said, it should be mandatory for all officials and elected representatives to submit a detailed report on their visits. This would ensure that any necessary interventions for school improvements are documented and acted upon. Lastly, just visiting and identifying issues will not be enough, the true impact will be measured by how much change is implemented after these visits," she added.

‘Hope execution is effective'

Prashant Kadlag, a teacher at a private aided school, highlighted the challenges educators face in getting their concerns addressed. "Often, we have to run from pillar to post just to meet the education minister, and even securing a meeting with education officials is a time-consuming task. Even when we do manage to meet them, there's no certainty that the issues we raise will be resolved. If this initiative is properly implemented and officials, along with elected representatives, actively visit schools, we will have the opportunity to directly show them the conditions on the ground and seek their support. Seeing the situation firsthand will prompt them to take necessary action. I sincerely hope this initiative is executed effectively and continues in the long run," he said.