According to the recent statement of our ex chief minister Manohar Parrikar, maths and science should be taught in the mother tongue. It is not only maths and science, but other subjects as well. Recent medical research has proved that school education at the primary level in one’s mother tongue helps in producing students with a better understanding and skills. The importance of imparting education at the primary level in the mother tongue cannot therefore be downplayed or wished away easily. It is unfortunate however that past governments in Goa have failed to provide quality education in government-run Konkani/Marathi primary schools , because of which there is presently a great demand for education in English medium primary schools. The need of the hour therefore is to help our disadvantaged students whose mother tongue is either Konkani or Marathi (and compelled to study in English medium primary schools), by opening more full-fledged government-run primary Konkani and Marathi medium schools that will meet their requirements. Once this achieved there will be an automatic reversal of the tide without having to discontinue grants to English medium primary schools.
A F Nazareth, Porvorim
Clean public transport
Commuters are accustomed to having eatables while travelling in public transport. Bottles of mineral water are also carried during the journey. However, the waste papers and empty plastic bottles are dropped either inside the bus or along the road. Ultimately it leaves a bad picture not only for buses but also for the streets. With the notion of ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan’ being initiated by the state and central governments, it is absolutely necessary that public at large keep every area clean and tidy. It would be appropriate for the bus-operators to provide a dustbin in buses so that commuters can dump waste papers and plastic bottles in times of need. This would not only help in maintaining cleanliness inside the buses but also the road. The higher officials at the transport office should take serious note of this important suggestion and issue necessary circular to the bus-operators, thereby making it mandatory to provide bins in public transport.
Pravin U Sardessai, Adpai
Don’t give in
The taxis have been on strike for a few days now and the roads are quite a pleasure to drive on. But for tourists, their time in Goa hasn’t been good. We cannot hold the government to blame here, nor can we point our fingers at the bike rental business or the rent a cab business. Everyone has a right to run their business in Goa. The taxi service is not a business, so the taxi drivers and owners need to stop calling it one. If they cannot provide a service then the government should bring in others who can. They cannot blame bike and car rentals for a drop in business. If they were charging affordable rates then even Goans would take taxis. But they do not because the taxis are expensive. The very fact that the taxi drivers are holding Goa tourism to ransom shows how little they respect the industry that gives them money. The government must be strong and not give in to their demands.
Cynthia Azavedo, Taleigao
