MUMBAI, July 4 -- The union ministry of education on Thursday raised serious concerns about the condition of Maharashtra's school education system while approving the annual work plan and budget (AWP&B) for 2026-27 under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. A huge concern expressed was the lack of digital infrastructure-even as topics such as artificial intelligence and coding are being introduced in schools, around 97.12% of eligible upper primary schools lack information and communication technology (ICT) labs. The Project Approval Board (PAB), an independent committee convened by the ministry, also highlighted gaps in teacher recruitment, digital facilities and student enrolment, and asked the state to take urgent corrective steps. According to the minutes of the PAB meeting, of the 22,416 eligible upper primary, secondary and higher secondary schools, as many as 21,009 are still without ICT labs. In addition, 4,286 schools do not have smart classrooms. The Centre has approved a total Samagra Shiksha budget of Rs 2,494.17 crore for Maharashtra for 2026-27 to be shared by the state government. The ministry noted that while enrolment in the state's 1,08,250 schools at the pre-primary level was satisfactory, it needed improvement at the foundational, middle and secondary levels. It also pointed out that nearly 60% of primary and upper primary schools had fewer than 30 students each and 7,186 schools had only one teacher. The Centre has asked the state to study the reasons behind this and take steps to comply with the norms under the Right to Education Act. Pointing to the limited access to secondary education-over 4,300 villages do not have a secondary school within the prescribed distance, while over 6,500 villages lack access to a higher secondary school-the ministry has directed the state to rectify the situation. The report also points to shortages in Samagra Shiksha-sanctioned basic school infrastructure. All toilets for children with special needs remain pending while more than 80% of the approved science laboratories have not been completed. Vacancies remain another area of concern. Around 17% of teaching posts in secondary schools and 25% in higher secondary schools are vacant, as also nearly half the posts in the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and over one-third of posts in District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs). The SCERT and DIETS posts have to be filled by July 31, 2026, with future funding for Centres of Excellence in DIETs dependent on recruitment. The ministry also expressed concern over early childhood and inclusive education. Only 44.9% of children from three to six years are enrolled in Balvatikas. Children with special needs account for only 1% of total enrolment, while only 10.17% of teachers have received training in inclusive education. During the meeting, the Maharashtra state project director informed the PAB that most of the sanctioned ICT labs were currently under installation and would be completed by the end of the year. The Centre responded by ordering the completion of all pending infrastructure and digital projects in mission mode to ensure that every government school had access to basic facilities during in2026-27. Meanwhile, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation and Thane Zilla Parishad have declared a school holiday today following a red alert issued by the IMD....