With change in management, schools now flourishing
The GPS at Dhawalkhazan-Agonda which was closed this academic year is lying idle and is used as a polling station during elections.
CANACONA
An acute shortage of students had led to the closure of as many as 27 government schools in Canacona in recent years. But with private institutions taking over 12 of these school buildings, the student strength has risen sharply and these schools are now flourishing in the taluka.
At present, there are 105 education institutions in Canacona which consist of a college (1), higher secondary schools (5), high schools (20), middle schools (2), primary schools (75), a Special School (1) and JN Vidyalaya (1).
Among the newly opened private institutions include three higher secondary schools, eight primary schools (six aided and two unaided) and four high schools (three aided and one unaided) operating from all corners of the taluka.
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS
The Govt Medium School (GMS) at Kazumoll-Khola was taken over by Gurukul Education Society run by Krishna Velip (ex-ZP member of Khola) and now upgraded to a high school, while a primary school by Saraswati Vidhya Mandir has been set up in place of the closed GMS at Khalwade,
Four high schools which have opened during this period are Balram Residential High School (Amone), St Francis Xavier High School (upgraded from a primary school) at Bhatpal, Gurukul High School (upgraded from Middle School) at Kazumoll-Khola and Balram–A Day Care School at Shristhal. Except for St Francis Xavier High School, the three other high schools are government aided schools.
The Primary Schools opened in Canacona are St Francis Xavier PS at Bhatpal (2008), Balram PS at Talem (2010), Shradhanand PS at Poinguinim (2012), Saraswati Vidyalaya at Khalwade (2013), Saraswati Vidyalaya at Karashirmoll-Agonda (2013), Balram Primary School at Avem (2013), Shradhanand PS at Galgibaga (2013), Gurukul at Kazumoll-Khola (2013), Damodar Balmandir (2015), Nirakar PS at Dapot (2013) and Nirakar PS at Tudal (2013).
MEDIUM
According to sources, while most of the 75-odd government primary and middle schools (GPS/GMS) were in Marathi medium, only half a dozen of these were in Konkani medium.
At present, only two Government Primary Schools in Konkani medium presently operate in Dapot (Loliem-Polem) and Tudal (Gaondongrim) for the academic year 2023-24.
According to ADEI sources, the third Konkani medium primary school at Damodar-Loliem has also switched over to Marathi medium in this academic year.
REUTILISATION
Some of the other closed Government Primary Schools located in 21 government buildings have either been allotted and occupied by the Director of Health Services (DHS), while others are idle in a dilapidated condition.
At the closed GPS Galgibaga, two rooms are allotted to the Shradhanand Primary School, while an Anganwadi is run in two other rooms. The GMS Khalwade has been renovated by Shiksha and Gram Vikas Kendra to run a private primary school.
The GPS at Talem has been allotted to the Balram Primary School, while at the GPS in Agas, an Anganwadi runs in one room, while the other room is allotted to the DHS.
The school buildings fully allotted to the DHS are the GPS at Chiplem, GPS at Borus, GPS at Shisheval, GPS at Delem, GPS at Tamnem, GPS at Kindlem, GPS at Tansi and the GPS at Tudal.
The GPS at Gal-Neturlim is in a dilapidated condition, while the old building at the GPS in Nagarcem has been demolished and a two-storeyed Shelter Home has been constructed.
At the GPS in Galiem, one room has been allotted to the village Anganwadi and one room to the DHS), while the GPS at Shelim has been allotted to the Project Director-Environment Directorate).
The school buildings which are presently vacant are the GPS at Loliem, Mudkud, Agonda, Pedem and Nadkem.
The GPSs closed during this academic year at Dhawalkhazan (Agonda,) Idhar (Loliem), Muthal (Sadolxem-Poinguinim) and Molorem (Khola) are also presently lying idle. However, these buildings are used as polling booths during elections.
