Mira-Bhayandar: In an attempt to enhance the quality of education in civic-run schools at par with their private counterparts, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has launched Centre of Excellence (CoE) unit to foster collaboration between the governance, non governmental organisations (NGO’s) and other stakeholders to support, research and implement best practices for specific citizen friendly focus areas.

A brainchild of MBMC chief-Sanjay Katkar, the CoE unit is said to be a first of its kind initiative launched by any civic body across the country. In its first venture the CoE has chalked out an elaborate roadmap to reshape the educational landscape aimed at addressing diverse and complex needs for the 9,250-odd students enrolled in 36 multi-lingual and English medium schools run by the MBMC. A majority of the students come from the lower economic strata of the society.

Emphasizing on the importance of unified efforts, Katkar said, “Given the wide spectrum of students' needs and the specialized expertise of various NGOs, true progress can only be achieved through their seamless collaboration. The CoE serves as the critical mechanism to facilitate and coordinate this partnership. This holistic approach will bring together stakeholders to ensure meaningful and impactful solutions.”

“Each stakeholder held a piece of the puzzle as teachers showed us classroom realities, NGOs shared intervention insights and parents revealed community challenges. This comprehensive understanding became the foundation of the CoE’s integrated approach.” says lead consultant-Mahesh Rasal.

Before launching the initiative, Katkar engaged in an intensive brainstorming session with consultants, NGOs, teachers, principals, and education experts to get critical insights which led to the discovery that 70 percent of students came from non-Marathi speaking families.

A parent-assistant program was conducted to ascertain the needed changes so that every child has an access to quality education and the tools they need for success in life and careers.

The CoE is working on key guiding principles including- community-aligned education, empowering teachers instead of replacements while ensuring there is no additional burden on them, strategic interventions, meticulous planning in compliance with the National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF).

“The CoE is not just about improving education in the twin-city but it can be replicated as a model to inspire transformation nationwide,” said Katkar who is also considering establishing similar CoE’s in other departments to enhance overall service delivery and efficiency, marking a new chapter in municipal governance.