PANAJI/BICHOLIM
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said the State government has plans to undertake eye testing of around 2 lakh students from Std 1 to SSC across the State in February.
Basic training of eye testing is being imparted to around 2,000 teachers in the State as part of the Vision For All social initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Goa will be the first State in the nation to do so.
Sawant was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the primary eye-test training camp for around 900 teachers in North Goa, organised by health department in association with Prasad Opticians and education department at Ravindra Bhavan, Sakhali.
Stating that vision is of utmost importance to help students achieve success in their future educational career, Sawant said the main aim behind undertaking this mission is to help teachers to keep watch over the vision of students so that proper care can be taken by protecting the eyes at the initial stages and preventing eye problems at a later stage.
“Eye testing of around 2 lakh students from Std 1 to Std 10 in government, aided, unaided and private schools, will be carried out. After detecting any eye problems, surgeries will be conducted and spectacles will be distributed free of cost. The eye testing exercise and treatment will be completed in March,” said Sawant.
The chief minister instructed the teachers to conduct a basic eye check up of all new students from June onwards.
“There has been rise in students with eye ailments in childhood itself and this initiative has been undertaken to overcome this problem,” said Sawant, while calling upon teachers to shoulder this responsibility
He said other social initiatives have been also undertaken to achieve all round development.
On this occasion, Dr Krishnaprasad Kundlu interacted with teachers and guided them on the method of basic eye testing and screening.
Dr Kundlu said a similar training would be provided to teachers from South Goa. Others present included Dr Rahul Ali, Dr Sanjay Bandekar, Dr Ashwin D'souza, Manoj Sawaikar. Shailesh Zingade and K V Mahesh.
Around 1,000 teachers from South Goa are being offered training in a similar programme at Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir in Ponda which was launched by Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phaldesai.
