PANAJI
A senior member of Goa’s teaching community has strongly criticised Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s recent comments blaming teachers for the “unemployability” of graduates.
Anthony Rodrigues, former president of the University College Teachers Association, said the remarks were unfair and misplaced.
Rodrigues argued that a teacher’s role goes far beyond preparing students for jobs.
“A teacher builds citizens, society and the nation,” he said.
He added that employment is only one outcome of education and cannot be guaranteed by teachers alone. Economic policies, recruitment practices and transparency in hiring also play a major role.
He stressed that classrooms in Goa help develop critical thinking, creativity and integrity. Teachers, he said, often guide students through personal challenges, promote respect for the community and environment, and build the soft skills employers look for.
“We shape individuals who can contribute with dignity,” Rodrigues said.
He also pointed to wider issues such as heavy administrative workloads for faculty and a lack of merit-based recruitment. Rodrigues urged the government to update syllabi, reduce non-academic duties and ensure fair hiring practices.
“Judge teachers by the citizens they help create, not by unemployment figures,” he said.
