Despite Marathi getting this fancy classical language status, schools in the medium are freaking out about the decreasing admissions because the government is not really helping out. Back in 2010-11, Mumbai was rocking a cool 413 Marathi-medium schools. Fast forward to 2014-15, and that number dipped to 368. And now, in 2023-24, we’re looking at a sad figure of just 262 schools left.
The Nabar Guruji Vidyalaya, which sounds super fancy and cool, is run by the Indian Education Society in Dadar. This school has been around since the 1940s, but now it’s facing some major issues and might even have to shut down. Imagine that, one of the oldest Marathi-medium schools in Mumbai going bye-bye. That’s some serious stuff, man.
After 35 students from Nabar Guruji Vidyalaya graduated this year, only 17 students are sticking around for the upcoming academic year. That’s like, a huge drop, dude. The trustees are like, “Whoa, we didn’t decide to close the school, but things are not looking too hot. The number of students is dropping faster than my mixtape on SoundCloud.”
They even sent a letter to the education department asking for advice and support, not for permission to shut down. The trustee guy, Satish Rama Nayak, was all like, “Our student-teacher ratio is so off right now. We’re supposed to have 40 students per teacher, but for Marathi-medium schools, it’s 25:1. And guess what? We’re below that now. It’s like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle on a tightrope.”
But hey, the trustees are trying to calm the parents down. They’re like, “Yo, if we need to make changes, we’ll just shift your kids to another school we own. It’s all good, just fill out this form.” But, like, 10 out of the 17 remaining students are already like, “Peace out, I’m getting my leaving certificate.”
This isn’t just a problem for Nabar Guruji Vidyalaya, man. Most Marathi-medium schools are struggling. The BMC data from 2023-24 shows that the number of Marathi schools in Mumbai has been dropping like hot potatoes. Back in 2010-11, there were 413 schools, but now we’re down to a measly 262. It’s like a game of musical chairs, but with schools.
Sushil Shejule, a big shot in the Marathi education scene, is all fired up about this. He’s like, “Yo, Marathi got this cool classical language status, but the schools are dropping like flies. Someone’s gotta do something, man. It’s not cool to put all the blame on the parents. The government needs to step up and save these schools, like ASAP.”
Girish Samant, another trustee dude, is not holding back. He’s like, “The education department is playing us, man. They ain’t giving approvals for new Marathi schools, and the grants are as irregular as Mumbai’s weather. It’s like they want us to fail. It’s a tough scene out here for Marathi schools.”
And then there’s Prasad Gokhale, a parent who’s part of this group trying to save Marathi schools. He’s like, “If the government and some Marathi big shots think English is better, then why even bother with Marathi? It’s not fair to force kids to learn in a language that’s not their own. Let’s protect our language and culture, man.”
Parents are stuck in the middle of this mess, torn between Marathi and English. They want their kids to succeed, but at what cost? It’s a tough call, man. The pressure is real. But deep down, they know, learning in your mother tongue is where it’s at.
In a nutshell, Marathi schools in Mumbai are going through some tough times. The government, parents, and schools need to figure this out before it’s too late. It’s not just about language, it’s about identity and learning. Let’s not let Marathi schools fade away into oblivion, man.
