CANACONA
Government Primary School (GPS) at Galiem-Poinguinim, GPS Shellim-Loliem and GPS Tudal-Gaondongrim have been closed closed for lack of students during this academic year.While GPS Tudal and Galiem were in Marathi medium, GPS Shellim was the lone Konkani-medium government primary school in Canacona.Sources informed that last year there were only three students studying in GPS Galiem, while in the other two, the enrolment was below five students. This year, there was no enrolment at all, forcing its closure.From 69 government primary schools during the last academic year, the count has come down to 66 in Canacona. About 4-5 years ago, 72 government-run primary schools were functioning in the taluka.Interestingly, GPS Shelim in Loliem village was the only government-run school in Konkani medium, after another Konkani medium GPS at Chaudi had switched over to Marathi a few years ago.Residents also blamed the government for ignoring its own schools and granting permissions to operate private schools from the same school buildings.
