13 ZP schools will be launched as Ojas Int’l

Pune: The State government announced that the 13 Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools will be launched as Ojas International School in the first phase on Saturday.

Out of these, three schools from Pune division include Vidya Mandir, Khanapur, Bhudargad Taluka in Kolhapur district, Zilla Parishad School, Wabale Wadi at Shirur taluka in Pune district, Zilla Parishad primary centre school, Bopardi at Wai Taluka in Satara district will be provided with the international curriculum. While two district schools each in divisions consisting of Amravati, Aurangabad, Konkan, Nashik and Nagpur. 

These schools will be offered with an international curriculum. During the State budget, the government had declared that 100 such schools would get a world-class education with the international curriculum in order to enhance the quality of education. 

According to October 14, 2016, government resolution (GR), in order to provide international quality education to students in the State it was decided that around 100 schools run under local administrative, tribal development department and social justice department in the State will be given international status. Followed by this, on November 30, 2017, another State GR was published according to which criteria for selecting schools for upgradation were set. 

To be eligible, the schools had to complete listed criteria like the number of students (Std I to V - 300 students, Std VI to VIII - 210 and Std IX and X - 160). The students with one division of classes each would be given preference over those with two divisions each. The schools should have basic infrastructural facilities like a school building, separate restroom facility for boys and girls, clean premises, Internet access, school transport, etc. 

Accordingly, the government-aided schools were invited to fill their registration forms through an online portal given by State Council Educational Research and Training (SCERT). As many as 378 schools had applied for the upgradation from across the State. Out of which the selection committee recognised 109 schools for the development. Under this programme, the teaching methods, learning and framework of the curriculum will be developed as per standards of the international curriculum. According to sources 70 teachers have registered to undergo 22-day training for.