PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said his government does not intend to close any schools and that consultations are on with parents and other stakeholders to explore the possibility of merging schools located in close proximity to each other.
Sawant, who also holds the education portfolio, said any decision on merger of schools will only be taken after taking parents and teachers of those schools into confidence.
He said, some of these government primary schools had enrollment of up to four and five students impacting the quality of education imparted there. He also alleged that Bal Raths (school buses) meant for students to commute to schools in the vicinity of their villages were being misused to transport students to private or aided schools in cities affecting enrollment in government schools.
The chief minister was speaking to the media at an event of the education department to announce the introduction of Mulyavardhan at the middle school level, aimed at imparting value-based education and life skills for traffic road safety, hygiene including personal hygiene and waste management.
Mulyavardhan was being implemented by the Education Department with the assistance of Pune-based Shantilal Muttha Foundation in primary schools, both government as well as aided, since 2016-17.
This year however the programme, which claims to have achieved its goals at the primary school level, will be adopted for the next level -- classes V to VIII -- in its new avtaar 'Mulyavardhan 3.0'.
Over the next five years it will be implemented as a platform integrated with the State's school curriculum and it will be evaluated by the students and faculty of Evans School of the University of Washington, according to the founder of Shantilal Muttha.
At the interaction with the media during the event, Sawant said, the education department will soon begin teacher recruitment processes and concentrate on 'remedial classes' where teachers will be present in schools up to 4.30 pm.
From October this year, mid-day meals will be served to students who attend the remedial classes, he added.
Meanwhile, Sawant will address students, teachers, PTA members and also sarpanchas of all government and aided primary schools virtually on September 19.
Sawant said, he will brief them about the changes being brought about in primary schools required to implement the National Education Policy 2021 and will also showcase activities of some schools including one at Surla where the NEP is already being implemented.
Benefits of the NEP implementation will be visible and will inspire others to be ready for it from next year, Sawant added.
