MARGAO
The Global Konknni Forum (GKF) has described the latest education statistics released by the Directorate of Education as a wake-up call for Goa’s language policy.
According to the data, only 7,869 of the 88,800 students studying in Classes I to IV are enrolled in Konkani-medium schools, accounting for just 8.8 per cent of the total. The statistics also reveal that nearly 300 government primary schools have shut down over the last decade, while more than half of Goa’s primary school students are studying in English medium.
GKF Secretary Salvador Fernandes said the figures show that policies pursued in the name of protecting Konkani have failed to preserve the language. He noted that many parents opted for English-medium education when given a choice, leading several schools to switch from Konkani to English medium.
Fernandes said the younger generation is becoming increasingly disconnected from Konkani and warned that a language can survive only when children learn, read and use it regularly.
He added that the state’s language policy focuses too much on promoting a single script rather than expanding the number of Konkani learners. The GKF has urged the government to make Konkani available as a language option in all schools, regardless of the medium of instruction, and to offer it in both Roman and Devanagari scripts.
