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TESTING TIMES FOR NIRMALA CONVENT
* School requests education dept for Std 1 in Konkani medium
* Dept declines request. Say school's request is too late
* Aug 7, 2015: School makes request to Sancoale management
* Oct 13: 125 parents send written request to management
* Nov 17: School sends another request to education dept
* Dec 14: Canacona ADEI officials inspect school premises
* Dec 23: School submits papers, documentations to education dept
* Mar 12: PTA members meet local MLA and Minister Ramesh Tawadkar
* School staff; parents anxious as academic year ends in March
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THE GOAN NETWORK
CANACONA: The State government claims to be giving incentives to primary schools to impart education in the mother tongue, but starting a class in Konkani medium has become a major test for a school in Canacona taluka.
Despite having the requisite infrastructure and student strength, attempts by a pre-primary school in Canacona to start primary education in Konkani medium have been stalled by the education department.
This is the plight confronting the Holy Family of Nazareth Educational Society (HFNES), the Sancoale-based management which runs the Nirmala Convent Pre-primary School at Mastimoll-Canacona since the last 30 years.
Around 125 parents had submitted a written request to the pre-primary school management on October 13, 2015, to upgrade the school from pre-primary to primary level, stating it was difficult to find other educational institutions of a similar standard in the area.
The parents had wanted Std I classes to start from the academic year 2016-17 to enable their children currently in Kindergarten two to continue education in the same school.
In its application dated November 17, 2015, the HFNES had sought permission from the education department to start Std I in Konkani medium at its school in Mastimoll from the academic year 2016-17.
“Following our application, a team of officials from the Canacona ADEI inspected the school premises on December 14, 2015. Acting on a request by the visiting team, the school produced all the required papers along with the documentations on December 23, 2015,” said a source at the Nirmala Convent Pre-primary School.
According to a PTA member, attempts were made to enquire about the progress of the school's application with local and state authorities.
“We have been told that our application is pending at the government level and that a decision would be conveyed only after the government takes a decision,” explained the PTA member.
Some PTA members then approached local MLA and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on March 12, hoping that he would intervene in the matter.
‘The minister had assured to seek an appointment with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who also holds the education portfolio, to enable us put forth our request. But nothing has progressed after that and we are still hopeful of an appointment with the CM,” informed another PTA member, who was present at the meeting with Tawadkar.
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NOTHING HAS MOVED FROM
EDU DEPT: SCHOOL HEAD
Uncertainty over the education department's decision has led to concern among parents and staff at the Nirmala Convent Pre-primary School at Mastimoll-Canacona, especially since its academic year ends this month.
When contacted, school principal Sr Maria Gracias admitted that they had not received any response from the education department.
“We have found nothing is happening at the department level. We are eager to get confirmation before the summer vacation begins, as many parents have been questioning us about the fate of their children who are in KG2.”
“The request to start Std I in Konkani medium at Nirmala Convent Pre-primary School was purely due to a demand from parents,” Sr Gracias added.
Incidentally, the school management had made similar attempts during the 2015-16 academic year, but they were immediately told that their request would be late and would not be considered.
“Not to fall into a similar trap, we made an early representation this time. But for reasons unknown to us, the department has continued to keep us in the dark. How can we wait for permission till the last moment? There will be considerable preparations like admission and enrolment of students to a new class for the 2016-17 academic year,” Sr Gracias said.
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EXCERPTS FROM BUDGET
SPEECH OF PARSEKAR
* The concept of primary education in mother tongue has a scientific base and is not merely an emotional issue
* The policy of this Government has been to promote primary education (in mother tongue)
* I also propose to consider existing recognized non aided primary school for grants including special grants, if any such school intends to switch over to Konkani or Marathi medium
