Mumbai:
In order to attract more students to municipal schools, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to install a virtual education system in all municipal schools across the city.
The students will be taught through the system which will be connected through satellite and reach all the municipal schools.
The system that will start functioning from January 15, 2011, will be used for tutorials and lectures for the SSC students. From the next academic year, the system will be used for all the students.
Rahul Shewale, chairperson of the standing committee, said, "We want to see the reaction of the students at the beginning and if they like it, it will be taken forward. For this academic year, we will be using it only for the SSC students who require guidance before the board exams."
The system will be used across all English, Urdu, Marathi and Hindi medium schools.
A teacher will address students in all schools from a central studio located in Andheri and have interactive sessions with them. "The technology will attract the students and also be helpful for them," said Shewale.
He expects the number of students to increase in municipal schools after the implementation of this technology.
"MMRDA has already installed the system in a few schools in 13 talukas of Thane district and is used for teaching students in remote villages. After Thane, we are installing the system here," said Shewale.
The standing committee has proposed the BMC to waive 50 per cent charges levied on the properties running Marathi municipal schools.
The properties would be charged 50 per cent less tax amount and also a 50 per cent rebate on water bills. "We need to stop the constant shutting down of Marathi schools," said Rahul Shewale.
The number of students has reduced, leading to financial difficulty in maintaining the schools, he said.
The municipal commissioner has also agreed to the proposal and said it will be in effect soon.