It may be recalled that a part of the ceiling of the Government Primary school in Vasco came crashing down. Fortunately no one was injured in the incident. However it brings to the fore the pathetic state of government primary schools in the state. Many of the schools have been abandoned due to their deteriorated condition. It is learnt that the Ponda locals have proposed that instead of letting abandoned government primary schools deteriorate further, they should be repaired and repurposed for libraries, gymkhanas, anganwadis, self-help groups, and NGOs. This will be a step in the right direction. According to the citizens this will be a fitting tribute to Goa’s first Chief Minister Bahusaheb Bandodkar thereby ensuring the preservation of his legacy. These abandoned schools could even be used as polling booths during elections after carrying out the repair works. The government needs to carry out an audit of all abandoned primary schools in the state and utilize them for other purposes after proper maintenance. Many of the schools could have historical importance and hence the structures need to be preserved for future generations.
