2 opt for Marathi, 1 Konkani; regional language schools now number 40
Photo Credits: SCHOOLS
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LATEST ENTRANTS
* New English High School, Keri
* Shri Vasant Vidyalaya, Siolim
* Corner Stone Primary School, Acoi
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40
Total number of regional language schools in Goa
24
schools have switched over to Konkani medium
15
to Marathi medium of instruction and one school in Urdu
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GOVT INCENTIVES
* Special grant of Rs 400 per student to schools opting for MoI in regional language
* A provision of Rs 25 crore has already been made for current academic year
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Encouraged by the State government's announcement of incentives for teaching students in their mother tongue, three primary schools in Goa have decided to switch over from English to regional language starting this academic year.
Keri Terekhol Area Development Welfare and Education Society’s New English High School, Primary Section, Keri and Shri Vasant Vidyalaya-Siolim, with an enrolment of 94 and 160 respectively, have decided to go with Marathi medium of instruction. However, Corner Stone Primary School, Acoi, Mapusa has opted for Konkani medium, which has an enrolment of 62.
With these three schools opting for MoI in regional languages, the total number of schools that have switched over from English to regional languages (Konkani, Marathi and Urdu) has reached 40 since academic year 2013-14. Of these, 24 schools have switched over to Konkani medium, 15 to Marathi and one Urdu.
Speaking to The Goan, an official of the State Education Department said, “Now that these schools have opted for regional languages as their MoI, salary grants will be released to them. Earlier they were categorised as private un-aided schools.”
In a bid to give boost to primary education in regional languages, the State Government in its budget had announced that a special grant of Rs 400 per student would be given to schools opting for MoI in regional language and a provision of Rs 25 crore has already been made for current academic year. He had, however, stated that primary schools willing to switch over from English to regional languages would also avail of the scheme.
Meanwhile, to meet the increasing demand of students opting for Science stream after completing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Examination, the State Education Department has granted permission for opening three additional divisions in Science stream in three higher secondary schools (HSS).
The three HS schools are Purushottam Walawalkar HSS, Mapusa; Cuncolim United HSS, Cuncolim and Presentation Convent HSS, Margao. The Department is also exploring the possibility of granting permissions to HSS to start additional divisions, especially in Ponda and Margao.
Additionally, the Department has also granted permission to open a new HSS in Arts stream in Honda, Sattari.
The State Government had appealed to the students to register with the Education Department in case they were unable to get admission in any of the HSS. In all, 34 students had registered with South Zone, 21 with Central Zone and 14 with North Zone.
Speaking to The Goan, Education Director Gajanan Bhat informed, “Nearly 600-odd additional students have passed SSC this year. And more importantly, they are in the higher bracket of the percentage. So there is an increasing demand for the Science stream.”
