DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION – HEIGHT OF INEFFICENCY by Nisser Dias

Goa Headmasters association (GHA) and Goa Schools Management Association (GSMA) are up in arms against the ‘No Detention’ circular issued by the Director of Education Dr. Celsa Pinto after the school results were declared. “The circular states that no student from classes I to VIII will be held back or expelled from the school.”

The contention of the GHA is perfectly in order when they claim that it would be unreasonable and arbitrary to impose on schools the implementation of the circular after the schools have declared the results and new admissions have taken place. Their demand to immediately withdraw the circular issued on 6th May is very much justified.

I am not at all surprised at the goof-up by the Director of Education as she has made ‘inefficiency and incompetency’ a virtue and a trademark of the department. Infact Education minister Anatasio alias Babush Monserrate had once quipped to his officer on special duty Mr. Bhatt in our presence whether the director knew the contents of the Goa State Education Acts 1984 and Rules 1986.

If the Education minister who himself is not much educated does not have the confidence of his director of Education how can the common man or rather the headmasters, principals, teachers, parents and the staff of department itself have conviction in her. To cite an example in the year 2009, Dr. Celsa Pinto made a very flashy statement stating that she would initiate action against unaided schools managements if parents of students studying in such schools provide proof that managements of these schools demand donation in lieu of admission. I provided her with receipts of donations paid to the school for admitting my two sons through a complaint.

In my complaint I quoted Rule 132 of the Goa School Education Rules 1986 which states that no fee, contribution or other charges shall be collected from any student by the Trust or Society running any recognized school; whether aided or not. Furthermore clause 19(4) of Goa State School Education Act 1984 prescribes the punishment as imprisonment which may extend to six months or a fine of Rs 50,000 thousand or both. This Director of Education made her subordinates conduct a superficial inquiry into it and hushed up the complaint. This is the incompetency of this government official who is not fit to officiate the position she has been entrusted with.

A section of parents have been fighting arbitrary fee hikes by unaided school managements. Five years back when the issue was brought to the director Dr. Celsa Pinto’s notice her reply was; unaided schools do not fall under the ambit of Goa State School Education Act. Parents Orlando Pacheco and Franky Monteiro had to literally read out the Act to her and point out that the schools have first submit their audited statement and then get her (Director’s) approval before hiking the fees. Such is her ignorance about the Act and Rules and the minister hit the bullseye when he wondered whether the Director had studied the same.

Then there are teachers who are at the mercy of Education Director’s inefficiency. One such example is of two school teachers and both state awardees who were initially given two years extension after their retirement. They were then verbally requested to continue for another year by the department, however till date the teachers are not paid their dues for their services for the third extension. There are many such complaints against the director.

Then there is another aspect to the director’s functioning which has also been highlighted by the members of Goa Headmasters Association. She refuses to meet the public. The Headmasters had to stand their ground and only then a delegation of three was allowed to meet. Why is the Director of Education Dr. Celsa Pinto afraid of meeting people or giving an audience to aggrieved headmasters, principals, teachers and parents? During one of our interaction with the Education minister Babush Monserrate in her presence she made grand gesture of telling us to walk directly into her door to place our grievance but when we parents tried to do it she refused to see us and had to approach the deputy director of Education.

During the last assembly session we again approached the Education minister to place before him some of our complaints which were not acted upon by the Director of Education. After hearing us the minister point blank asked her why the parents have to meet him when she can and has to act upon the complaints and she had no answers. At this point I interjected and told the minister that it is easier to meet him then the director.

There are so many complaints by the teachers and parents which need to be addressed but the director is sitting tight over the matters. There are so many issues that need urgent solution like arbitrary fee hike by management of schools, illegal collection of donations. Medium of Instruction, Implementation of RTE but the director seems to be least bothered of applying her mind to these issues.

In my opinion the government should take a call on the functioning of the Director of Education and replace her with some other government official who is more dynamic, competent and will do justice to the post.