ENGLISH MEDIUM PRIMARY RUN BY BAL BHAVAN

PANJIM: For the past decade the state-run and funded Bal Bhavan has been running an English medium primary school at its premises in Campal. On Monday, it reopened for its 135 students doing their elementary education. The medium of instruction, teachers said is English.

This is in direct contradiction to the state policy that favoured the mother tongue as medium of instruction, but the school in government owned premises was permitted to start by the directorate of education. Bal Bhavan chairperson Vijayadevi Rane, when contacted, did not respond as to why Konkani or Marathi was not chosen as the medium. She said, "We do not take grants for the school from the government." Asked if students are charged a fee, she responded in the affirmative.

Bal Bhavan is, however, a government body and the English medium primary school is run by the board that overlooks Bal Bhavan functioning. According to its website, the Goa Bal Bhavan has the state education secretary and director of education as its permanent members.

Yet, the school chose to operate in the English medium, which clashed with the state policy until May 25, 2011 when the state decided to give government grants to English primary schools.