Mumbai: Mumbai city far outranks the suburbs in school learning outcomes in fundamental reading and maths proficiency, shows an index released by the Union education ministry. While Mumbai city has secured the sixth spot statewide on the Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D), Mumbai suburban has found itself among the lower performing districts in Maharashtra, alongside regions like Parbhani and Gadchiroli.The suburbs, though, reverses this performance dynamic in technological parameters. In the ‘digital learning’ domain—which measures indicators like integration of computer labs, smart classrooms, internet access and ICT tools used in active teaching—it emerged as a statewide leader. It also outperforms the city in school infrastructure.The evaluation was based on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+)—a database maintained by the education ministry—and other national assessment metrics.Some school principals said legacy institutions in island city have been able to revamp themselves constantly and are able to access more and better educational resources, while schools in the suburbs have greater student diversity and a higher number of first-generation learners.The statistical gap between Mumbai city and Mumbai suburban in PGI-D is the most pronounced in academic performance metrics. According to the data, the city recorded higher marks in the standard outcomes category, which evaluates fundamental student reading and maths proficiency levels. The suburbs ranked near the bottom in translating classroom instruction into student proficiency within schools.Asked how the city was able to outperform the suburbs and if legacy institutions in island city play a part in that success, Sonal Parmar, principal of Fort’s Cathedral and John Connon School, noted that these comparisons are hard to make as each school has its own distinct character. “However, legacy institutions have a certain character and substance which cannot be ignored,” she said. “They have stood the test of time and have been able to revamp themselves and stay relevant.”Sunita George, principal of Bombay Scottish School in Mahim, said the suburbs’ structural growth and shifting demographics could have played a significant role in the varying outcomes. “A lot of new schools have come up, especially in the suburbs, in the last few years, and all institutions take some time to properly settle in,” she said. She said performance variations are also deeply tied to students’ socio-economic backgrounds. “The suburbs have greater student diversity and a higher number of first-generation learners. The island city has more parents with available resources to support and better invest in their child’s education.”On why the suburbs scored considerably better in terms of school infrastructure, Parmar pointed to a shortage of space in island city. “That’s why many schools, especially in terms of sports infrastructure, do tie-ups with clubs, turfs and other external facilities.” George said, “Newer schools may have more modern and cutting-edge infrastructure, but inevitably schools across both districts are lacking space.”
