Pune: The Maharashtra Primary Education Directorate has asked education officials at all levels to conduct regular school visits and submit detailed reports, after data showed only 11,532 visits were recorded across the state during the 2025–26 academic year.A teacher sits in an empty classroom after Tamil Nadu state government ordered the closure of primary schools across the state amid coronavirus fears, in Chennai, India, March 16, 2020. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar (REUTERS)The June 17 directive, issued by Education Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh, sets school-visit targets for officials from the state to the cluster level. State-level officers must visit at least two schools every fortnight; divisional and district-level officers, two schools a week; taluka-level officers, three; extension officers and superintendents, four; and Cluster Resource Centre coordinators, five.The department said the visits should focus on academic support and classroom improvement rather than routine inspections, examinations, inquiries, annual inspections or special events.Officials have been asked to assess teacher and student attendance, school cleanliness, classroom practices, learning outcomes, implementation of the Nipun Maharashtra Mission, ‘Ananddayi Shanivar’ activities, competitive exam preparation, the Jayant Narlikar Mathematics and Science Enrichment Programme, and meals served under the PM Poshan scheme.They will also review the use of educational kits, laboratories and learning materials, sports activities and student safety measures. Officials are expected to interact with students, observe at least one classroom session, and record strengths, shortcomings and suggestions for improvement.All reports must be uploaded to the state’s Saral portal, with senior officials directed to monitor compliance.“Only 11,532 school visits were recorded across Maharashtra during the 2025-26 academic year, which is significantly lower than expected. To strengthen academic monitoring and ensure effective implementation of various educational initiatives at the school level, we have set clear school-visit targets for officers at every level and directed them to conduct regular academic visits,” said Sachindra Pratap Singh, commissioner (Education), Maharashtra.The move comes as schools prepare to roll out new textbooks for Classes II, III, IV and VI. The department believes regular monitoring and on-site guidance will help implement curriculum changes and other reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.