Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the State is rationalising school hours under the phased rollout of NEP 2020 to reduce academic burden and promote holistic learning.
MAPUSA
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday informed the Goa Legislative Assembly that the State government is working to rationalise school hours as part of its phased implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The move aims to reduce the academic burden on students and encourage joyful and holistic learning.
Responding to concerns raised by Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira during Question Hour, Sawant clarified that the NEP-mandated 1,200 hours refer to total learning hours – not just classroom teaching.
He assured that the government is mindful of balancing academics with relaxation and co-curricular activities.
The Chief Minister also announced that Class IX students will have NEP-aligned textbooks from the upcoming academic year, in a significant step toward aligning Goa’s education system with national standards.
“Our government is committed to implementing NEP 2020 in phases, with a focus on reducing academic pressure, upgrading infrastructure and introducing reforms in language instruction to ensure well-rounded development,” Sawant stated.
Addressing Ferreira’s concern about insufficient infrastructure for allied activities in schools, the Chief Minister said improvement works have already begun in government-run institutions.
“Aided schools have also been directed to upgrade their facilities, and we are considering providing them grants for infrastructure in the future,” he added.
On the issue of pre-primary education, Sawant informed the House that the government has made registration mandatory for all such institutions.
“So far, 702 pre-primary institutions have applied for registration and recognition. Post-inspection, we will take decisions on matters such as fee structures, teacher salaries, regularisation of contractual staff and eligibility for government grants,” he said.
In a major infrastructure push, Sawant revealed that the government has acquired 1 lakh square metres of land in Margao to develop a new school complex, modelled after the Cujira Education Complex in Bambolim.
“All city-based schools in Margao will eventually be shifted to the new complex. Each school will construct its own premises and plot allotment will begin within the next three months,” the CM said in response to Goa Forward Party MLA Vijai Sardesai’s queries.
The discussion also saw debate over the medium of instruction in primary schools.
Highlighting the double standards of MLAs, Sawant remarked, “While every MLA demands more government primary schools in Konkani and Marathi, they choose to send their own children to English medium schools.”
Nevertheless, Sawant assured the House that if proposals for new Konkani-medium sections come from well-equipped schools and do not disrupt existing institutions in the vicinity, the government is open to granting them approval.
