Thursday 12 Jun 2025

Konkani must be compulsory in school foundation years

ARWIN MESQUITA, Colva | JUNE 09, 2025, 07:34 PM IST

To my understanding, NEP (National Education Policy) encourages regional/local/official language at least until the 5th Grade.  This is particularly important in the foundational years of education, where young children are learning to read and write. Also, though I fully support English as a medium of Instruction, I think it’s important that a respective state's official language should be No 2 priority and set as the Mandatory in the foundation years curriculum.  Hindi can be the 3rd language in the curriculum . In many (if not all) other Indian States where Hindi is not the local language; The first 2 mandatory languages (at least in English medium schools) are (1) English and (2) The local state’s official language.  They may/not have Hindi as the 3rd language, in the foundation years curriculum.  Coming to my point, I request the Goa Government to mandate the inclusion of the Goa/State’s official language Konkani as a compulsory subject in the foundation years (1-5 std)! Hope the latter is done at the earliest. 


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