Pune
Edition, 26th July 2008
Mumbai: Education minister Vasant Purke on Friday
asked the CBSE and ICSE schools to start Standard XI and
XII classes from the next academic year and further warned
them of stern action if they fail to do so.
Purke was replying to a debate on percentile system, sex
education and other issues related to education in the legislative
council.
Pointing out that children belonging to the elite class
study in the CBSE and ICSE schools, Purke said, “The
students earn extra marks and they compete with other students
who get lesser marks in SSC as compared to the former.”
He criticized the IAS officers and civil servants for backing
the CBSE/ICSE schools. Purke has asked the CBSE/ICSE to
make Marathi compulsory in their schools.
Strongly defending the 70:30 formula for admissions Purke
said this was being done to protect the interests of the
sons of the soil. He said that the Government Resolution
on 70:30 formula should have been implemented a few years
ago.
The education minister claimed that the percentile system
has quite a few benefits and that scores of BJP-NCP legislators
had supported him on the issue. He also said the government
was all set to implement centralized admissions from the
next academic year.
Opening the debate on Friday afternoon, BJP MLC Vinod Tawde
said that Purke had ruined the education department.
“Purke is believed to have earned a first class in
his academic career, but his performance as minister is
abysmal and the decisions taken by him are ad-hoc.”
Stating that the state finance department has not yet made
its contribution from the Centre-sponsored Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan to the education department, Tawde feared that this
would hamper the scheme’s implementation in the state.
The Opposition members also blasted the government for the
blunders in the textbooks and for issuing a separate supplement
for the corrigendum.
Purke assured the council that mistakes would not happen
from the next academic year as a team of experts would scan
the books carefully.
Shiv Senas Deepak Sawant said that sex education should
be introduced in schools. “Instead of calling it sex
education, the government could call it health education
for adolescents. This will reduce the opposition for the
scheme,” said Sawant.
Reacting to the sex education issue, Purke said that a decision
will be taken soon after consulting leading personalities
and legislators. “But care will be taken to see that
popular sentiments are not hurt. One has to ensure that
dreaded diseases like AIDS and pre-marital pregnancies do
not happen and education is necessary on this,” the
minister argued.
The council was adjourned for five minutes when Sena’s
Anil Parab raised the issue of the close-down of the Chinai
college in Andheri by the trustees. “The CM wants
the college to be reopened, but the police appears to be
pro-management,” Parab alleged. Council deputy chairperson
Vasant Davkhare adjourned the house for five minutes to
express shock over the Chinai managements’ attitude.
Purke said the government will prohibit the trustees from
starting a mall on the college land.The education department
also supported introduction of lower mathematics as most
students do not opt for engineering.
