PUBLIC MEETING OF BHARATIYA BHASHA SURAKSHA MANCH (BBSM) AT AZAD MOIDAN – by Joaquim Correia-Afonso

The BBSM organised a public meeting at Azad Moidan to demand that the state make its policy of grants-in-aid to be extended only to regional language primary schools as a permanent policy. There were lots of people attending, many speakers. As a result: many statements, many demands.

Let us have a look at them: “The public meeting (attended by Education Minister Monserrate) was meant to comment adversely on the present education policy of the government and to demand a change which is in direct contravention of Right To Education Act, 2009”. The so-called “change” is not at all in contravention of the Right to Education Act as this Act gives a way out.

Besides, as former Dy. Chief Minister and former Opposition Leader, Dr. Wilfred de Souza, has pointed out, Goa’s Official Languages Act, 1987, provides that “the government shall not, in granting aid to any educational or cultural institution, discriminate against such institution only on the ground of language”. However, the government then had taken a “policy decision” that only Konkani and Marathi medium schools will be given grants, thus discriminating against institutions over medium of instruction. Dr. de Souza also pointed out that the Constitution as well as the Official Language Act permit the use of English.

Dr. de Souza also pointed out that, according to Art. 452 of the Constitution, all education up to age of 14 must be free and compulsory. The state should, therefore, provide for free and compulsory education for all children till they complete the age of 14.

“Parents afraid that their children will not be able to compete in the globalized world without primary education in English medium should leave the state”. It is not that parents are afraid that their children “will not be able” to compete. The feeling is that with primary education in English the children will be able to compete better. And why should such parents have to leave the state? They belong here. That is why they are asking for what is best for their children. However, by the same token, should not all those who want primary education in a mother tongue other than Konkani leave the State?

“To be Goan means to speak the language of the land”. We are proud of the language of our land, our mother tongue Konkani. But what parents are asking is not that their children should be made to “speak” the language of the land. What is being asked is that they should have the freedom to be “taught” through the English medium at the primary level and, to make things easy for the parents, that such schools should also be given the benefit of grants-in-aid. The two issues – speech and teaching – are not to be confused.

“In which country in the world parents get together on public grounds to decide on the policy for education and school curriculum”. Personally, I was not aware of any such country. But those who got together to decide on the policy for education were gathered at the Azad Moidan “to demand that the policy of grant-in-aid to only regional language primary schools should be a permanent policy”. These are the people who got together on a public ground to decide on the education policy. To the question “In which country in the world”, the BBSM has shown the answer: “In India”.

“In countries like France, Germany, China, education is in the mother tongue”. Countries like France, Germany, China, do not have the “luxury” of countless regional languages as the mother tongue of their nationals.

“It is surprising that on Indian and Goan land people have to fight to protect Indian languages”. This is an absurd statement. People are not fighting to protect an Indian language. But the fight by BBSM, supported by the one who made that statement, is AGAINST a particular language and not for protection of any language.

However, if the fear is that extension of grant-in-aid to non-government English medium primary schools “will result in an exodus of students from vernacular to English medium schools”, as was articulated in a memorandum submitted to the government by the Prathamik Shikshan Maadyam Kruti Samiti, then it is clear that the children studying in vernacular schools are doing so due to compulsion or because they are forced to, and would rather prefer English as the medium of instruction. Obviously, the vernacular at primary level is being imposed on the people against their wishes. H

“In all other states children are being taught in their regional language. Only in Goa these parents are asking for English primary schools”. There are states in India with English as the state language. Are the inhabitants of these states anti-national? Parents in Goa are not “asking” for English primary schools. They are asking that the grants-in-aid be extended to schools with English as the medium of instruction, I repeat, to make things easy for the parents.

“In 50 years’ time these people will say since they are the only ones studying in English they are not part of India and want to be separated”. Is this meant to be a joke? Or is it meant to be exactly what it is – an irresponsible statement? What I have just said bears repetition here: there are states in India with English as the state language. Are the inhabitants of these states anti-national? Are they fighting for secession?

We have all heard the old saying “A man is known by the company he keeps”. How could Konkani writers keep company with Marathi protagonists and demand grants for schools teaching in “regional languages”? Languages of which region? And they say that “To be a Goan means to speak the language of the land”. Which of the regional languages is “the language of the land”? Which land?