Mumbai: Maharashtra education minister Dada Bhuse on Tuesday announced a series of measures aimed at improving the quality of school education across the state, including cash incentives for the best-performing districts and the expansion of “Pink Rooms” in schools.Addressing the legislative council, Bhuse said districts that make significant improvement in educational quality will be rewarded by the state govt. The district with the best-performing schools will receive Rs 5 crore, while the second- and third-ranked districts will be awarded Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore, respectively.The minister also announced the gradual introduction of “Pink Rooms” in schools across Maharashtra. These dedicated spaces are designed to support adolescent girls by providing facilities related to menstrual hygiene, health counselling and physical comfort. The initiative, which began in Kolhapur, has been credited with helping reduce absenteeism and dropout rates among girl students.Bhuse said the govt will focus on ensuring access to safe drinking water in schools, improving the condition of school buildings and classrooms, strengthening library facilities and promoting extracurricular activities. Emphasising the need to preserve Marathi-medium education, the minister said the govt is committed to providing additional facilities and support to Marathi schools to ensure their survival and growth amid increasing preference for English-medium education.
