the goan I network
PANAJI
The controversial Medium of Instruction in primary schools issue surfaced prominently in the legislative Assembly debate on the Education Department’s demands for grants on Tuesday with several MLAs seeking a permanent solution backed by legislation.
Deputy Speaker, Michael Lobo, raised the issue and demanded that it be solved entirely with a legislation supporting it.
He nevertheless stressed that grants to English medium schools must be given.
“MoI issue is with select committee. This issue should be solved once and for all,” he said.
When Lobo made a demand for permission to be given to English medium schools, the CM intervened and rejected the demand for permission to any new school.
Parrikar said, there already are 1200 plus primary schools which matches with international norms, adding that two schools in specific locations were however allowed.
Lobo meanwhile lamented that government primary schools are on the verge of shutting down. Every parent wants their child to go to good schools.
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco also demanded that proper legislation be brought in to
give grants for English medium schools a strong legal footing.
Lourenco also said, that each classroom should have
a dedicated teacher and
a separate classroom for
each standard.
“At least one school in one village should be a model school,” he further demanded and made a case for regulating fees charged by private schools.
He also raised the issue that policing and investigative diploma holders are not getting jobs in the related fields.
Canacona MLA Isidore Fernandes sought improvement of infrastructure and quality of government primary schools in remote areas.
Fernandes pointed out that the education department office at Porvorim has all modern facilities such as toilets, air conditioners with proper cleanliness but government schools in Goa especially remote areas like Gaondongri, Khotigao, Sristhal and Agonda are in pathetic condition.
“Benches are broken and a classroom is used to store discarded furniture. Even roofs are bad,” he said and demanded regular inspections of these schools by Education Department officials.
“In Gaondongri and Galgibag, schools have only one student. Unless some attention is given to improve the infrastructure, parents will not think of sending their kids to these schools,” he said.
Independent MLA from Sanguem constituency Prasad Gaonkar also expressed similar sentiments and demanded infrastructure upgrade in government schools.
“We have 12 governments and aided high schools in Sanguem area and 52 primary schools building which are in need of repair,” he said.
