PANJIM: Thousands of people, mostly parents of school-going children and nearly all of Goa's Catholic legislators, converged here Monday demanding that grants must be given to primary schools offering English as the medium of instruction.
The act is scheduled to be ratified in the state assembly soon. "The parents have the right to choose what medium their child should study in. The government should de-link grants from medium of instruction clause. Grants should also be given to schools offering English as a medium of instruction, not just Konkani or Marathi," said Savio Lopes, secretary of FORCE.
The rally attracted around 15,000 people, who had braved the blistering March heat. The Goa government in 1991 had announced its decision to grant aid only to primary schools where the medium of instruction is either Konkani or Marathi, keeping English medium schools off the list.
Most Catholic Church-run schools in Goa had then shifted to Konkani medium for want of government aid. This in turn, led to a spurt in the number of private schools offering primary education in English at exorbitant fees.
Former speaker Tomazinho Cardozo, who was headmaster of a diocesan-run school, said: "This is a conspiracy against diocesan schools. The circular denying grants to English medium schools also says that there should be no more permissions for the starting of private English schools. But since then more than 127 private English medium schools have come up with the permission of the government. It is to put down the diocesan schools."
Most schools operated by the Archdiocesan Board of Education, a Church run-body, will not receive grants if they adopt English as the medium of instruction. Goa has a Catholic population of nearly 26 percent and the Roman Catholic Church is very active in the social and educational sectors. – IANS
Rather curious as to why all the politician's were in attendance at this parents meet.Were not these very ministers ( if not all , select few of them) the cause for this plight? How can someone with no proper education themselves decide on the long term career of our child? This has been purely parents movement and I would want it to stay that way. I am sure the mere strength of the gathering speaks volumes for itself. All these ministers who were present there were there to gain Political Mileage ONLY. They are not to be trusted, all they do is just back stab you as has been the case everytime.The parents are capable in calling the cards and I hope they alone will descide on the medium of Instruction and NO ONE ELSE .
ReplyDeleteNow the church has realised that they made the biggest mistake of switching to Konkani medium even without consulting the parents at that time. But I fail to understand why they don't want to admit it publicly. The railisation came only when village people starting to travel with their children to town's school and the admissions for new pupils started falling in the villages. Lots of Private Primary school flourished in Goa. And even poor parents were ready to pay more for the future of their children, even may be going hungry at times.
ReplyDeleteThis is the right time for the agitating people to teach the goverment and the Congress Party a lession. Elections are round the corner. If the government doen't keep to the deadline given. Please vote them out in the next election.
GOA NEEDS A CHANGE ! CHANGE FOR THE BETTER.
It is a good sign that people finally realized concern about their wards after twenty years of silence. I must say Church being a powerful Institution in Goa should have had played a crucial role in 1991 itself when illiterate Goa Govt. imposed Konkani as MOI on our inocent children, rather Church submitted to the wishes of these 40 plus dumb creatures on this earth. If you imagine, one could guess it was clear conspiracy to subjugate Church run schools, because there are hardley any Govt aided schools in Goa besides few Govt. run primary schools in which pupil's attendence is very poor, thus making Chruch run schools major chunk of Govt. aide. According to Govt., they implemented MOI in Mother Language as per UNESCO, in that case even private run schools should have had Konkani as MOI keeping in mind every child's education in mother tongue. This shows how Govt. wants to have kickback through back door by authorizing unlimited private schools and one can guess nearly 75% of these schools belongs and financed by non-Goans. These are not in the interest of education but rather full-fledge 100% profitable business.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I would have been flying high if the same above digit's (15,000) would have been present at GRA meet,people feel the heat to secure their children's future and that made them to hit the street in one voice. Similarly, the very same people should realise the future of Goa is at stake, they should not look within their domain, they should come out in one voice and show some concern about Goa as well. I wish people to give up their selfish mentality and in the same pattern shall support every effort put forth by GRA. GRA is people's fight and not a dictate from Delhi. And at last I beg you people of Goa Please! Please! leave a side any differences irrespective of your current party affiliation, caste, religion, etc. and come out in large no.s on 8th of April at Margao as you have done today and show some love to our beloved motherland Goa!!!.
It was the denial of grants by the government that led the Diocesan schools to change to konkani as the medium of instruction. The medium of instruction should be the one that parents of school-going children want, and not one imposed by the government. Aid, or grants, should not be on the basis of the medium of instruction. Now that parents and school managements have indicated their preference for English as the medium of instruction, government should heed their demands and extend grants to the schools with english as the MoI.
ReplyDeleteWhat a drama? I don't understand why some people don't even think of the future of the children of Goa. This politician should send their children first to Konkani and Marathi schools. This is not Hollywood or Bollywood. This is the future of the children, children will suffer and this will be a huge burden on children from 5th std to start fresh as English medium. I myself had suffered when i was kid. Unfortunately English was not my medium till 4th std and i started in English medium from 5th std. I could not take the sudden change, it was huge mental trauma and it was very difficult for me to suddenly adapt to English medium. I had suffered from class 5th to 10th. As said by the Education ministry primary to 4th std will be konkani medium and from to 10th std English medium. Educated people do not understand simple things. The base should be good from Primary school, how the children will deal with English medium from 5th std if English was not thought to them from the beginning of the school career? We will create some dummies in the school and not bright students. We will not be able to compete with other states for employment and other reasons. Our children will be left behind on many occasions. The Children who will go to IC boards English medium from Primary to 10th std will be brighter, will secure better percentage in 10th Board exams and so on but this will be not the case for the other children from konkani medium. Here, this will be unfair for the children. English Education from the primary school will make higher education easy.
ReplyDeleteI want to tell someone to use your brains whoever making this decisions. This is not a fight for Konkani and English Language. We Goan people love Konkani language and it is in out hearts. You cannot change that what is in our hearts. People are misguided. Does this comes from Indian Govt or centre that Education from primary should be in Konkani and Marathi? No one imposing or asking you to do. This is your state and you people of Goa should make wise decision for the future for the children and for children rights. We should go with the masses and dreams of the parents for their children. Also, keeping this in mind that all parents cannot effort to send their children to IC board English medium schools. And some parents cannot effort to send their children to college after school, so 10th std school certificate will be all they will have. Please do not take away what little they have. Do not let our children to suffer.