The Education Department has not been able to get its act together with regards to appointing full-time teachers at government primary schools in Goa. The recent case at Pissurlem indicates that the government is still not in a position to allot full-time English teachers even in places where there are students enrolled. In Pissurlem, an English teacher is deputed only three times a week and authorities have been turning a blind eye to this problem for months together.
This is another reflection of the sorry state of affairs of government primary schools and goes to show a lack of seriousness when it comes to primary education. And this is the primary reason why there is a steady closure of such schools over the years. According to statistics a total of 24 government primary schools closed in the academic year 2017-18 due to lack of students. This is significant because in the same year there was an overall increase of 300 students in Class 1, implying there were no takers for government schools.
If we may recall, last year in November students of Dhavshire Government Primary School at Dhavshire-Usgao had boycotted classes over non-appointment of two regular teachers at the school. Parents had threatened not to send their children to school since teachers were changed too frequently confusing the students in the bargain. The education department had expressed helplessness here too because rules did not permit them to depute a full-time teacher on account of the low student-teacher ratio. Cut to the present and the government has just announced in the recently concluded assembly session that there are 399 vacancies for teachers in government-run schools up for grabs.
While the government primary school picture remains gloomy, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar blames it on parents who are opting for city-based schools. This brings us to the moot issue: why should parents not enroll their children into better schools if government schools can’t guarantee proper education? Parents are opting to migrate to city schools with the sole objective of giving their child better quality education, where there is no concern of crumbling or leaking roofs or
of teachers not turning up for days together.
As a matter of fact, majority of the parents in the State can now afford to give their children better education even if it comes at a price. The Chief Minister has himself admitted the fact that parents now don’t mind the cost of travel to cities. This itself indicates that it is no longer the subsidized education that the government is providing that is going to entice Goans.
Last year, there were ambitious plans unveiled by the government to improve quality of education in the State. On that count special Assistant District Education Inspectors were to be appointed. The Chief Minister had also announced plans to start an educational development fund to the tune of Rs 600 crore for the next five years for all schemes and infrastructure in education sector with an amount of around Rs 150 crore to be released every year. On paper, plans appear grandiose, but on the ground government-run primary schools continue to remain grounded with old issues. It’s high time government focuses on inculcating quality education rather than focusing on doles and benefits.
