Navi Mumbai, March 27 -- The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has proposed an ambitious plan to transition all its civic-run Marathi-medium schools to English-medium instruction, aiming to break the private sector's "monopoly" on English proficiency and prepare students for the global job market. Tabling the Navi Mumbai Municipal Education Transformation Policy 2026 during the general body session on Thursday, house leader Sagar Naik said, "English-medium education is not the monopoly of the rich; it is the right and entitlement of the poor as well. While our children go to English schools, the common man's children are left behind. We are changing that." While the proposal is aimed at providing underprivileged children opportunities on par with those studying in elite private institutions, critics argued that the civic body must prioritise basic infrastructure and teacher training before attempting a massive academic overhaul. Councillors also raised concerns that the move would effectively phase out Marathi-medium schooling. In response, Naik clarified that Marathi will remain a compulsory subject in the English-medium schools. "This is not about replacing Marathi, but expanding opportunities through English," the BJP leader said. Positioning the proposal as a response to widening educational inequality, Naik noted that English proficiency has increasingly become a mandatory gateway to better careers. "By converting our municipal schools, we are giving the common man's child a platform to dream of careers in engineering, medicine, and international business," he said. The policy outlines a phased transition, beginning from kindergarten (KG) in the upcoming academic year, starting in June. To manage the shift, the civic body will adopt a hybrid staffing model. "For the initial KG batches, we will recruit specialised staff. For subsequent levels, we will train and empower our existing staff to deliver an English-medium curriculum," Naik said. He added that Marathi-medium teachers would be supported through structured training programmes to ensure job security, stating, "Wherever we see a shortage of staff, we are taking steps to fill those gaps." However, the sweeping proposal sparked intense debate within the corporation. MNS corporator Abhijit Desai cautioned against an overemphasis on English at the cost of Marathi. "We are not opposed to English, but Marathi must not be pushed into the background. English should complement, not replace it," Desai said. Critics also argued that the civic body must prioritise basic infrastructure at civic schools. They pointed to the recent slab collapse at a Vashi municipal school, which prompted the mayor to order a city-wide structural audit of all NMMC educational buildings....