Govt not to give grants to Eng medium primary schools, except 105 Church-run Eng schools
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 04 June 2012 17:52 IST
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has finally declared the most awaited Medium of Instruction policy, allowing Church-run primary schools to continue English medium while assuring them salary grants.
With this ‘exception’, the BJP-led coalition government however has decided to give salary grants only to the primary schools run in Konkani or Marathi medium primary schools.
While reading out the cabinet note on the proposed decision, Parrikar also said that no new school in English medium would be permitted.
In addition, Parrikar has also announced special grants in several forms for the schools running in Konkani or Marathi medium.
While allowing the ‘minority’ schools to continue English medium with salary grants, Parrikar said these schools had to shift to English medium in utter confusion created by then (Congress) government.
According to Parrikar, the government has decided to continue giving grants to these minority schools since the future of 25,000 students studying in these schools would otherwise would be jeopardised.
The point number 4 in this six-page proposed cabinet note read as follows:
“4. So however, having regard to the fact that minority/certain institutions in the state which were prior to 10th June 2011 imparting Konkani/Marathi primary education, and have thereafter simultaneously shifted to English and started English primary classes shall continue to receive grants so as to give continuity to these schools and especially having regard to the fact that the students in these schools cannot be made suffer. “
Goa has total 130 schools belonging to Archdiocesan Board of Education (ABE), which includes 62 schools belonging to the Diocesan Society of Education (DSE).
All these schools had last year initially shifted to English medium after the cabinet had taken a decision to give grants to English medium schools.
However, after the matter went to the court, 25 non-DSE schools belonging to the ABE had rolled back to Konkani medium. These schools would now get grants only if they teach in Konkani or Marathi.
Goa has total number of 178 private primary schools. 138 among it were run in Konkani medium, including 130 ABE schools.
Total over 30,000 students were studying in these 138 schools last year, including 29,000 in ABE schools. Only 1336 students were studying in rest of the eight private primary Konkani medium schools.
In addition, 38 private schools are run in Marathi medium, teaching around 7500 students while only two Urdu medium private schools are run, teaching 200 students.
Parrikar at the press conference said the government would henceforth permit only Konkani or Marathi primary schools and no English medium primary schools would be permitted.
While welcoming new schools only in Konkani or Marathi, the government would immediately give Rs 12 lakh as one-time grant, additional Rs one lakh grant each for five years, salary grants to non-teaching staff and also a BEd teacher to teach English.
Parrikar at the press conference was accompanied by transport minister Sudin Dhawalikar, St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh and BJP vice president Dr Wilfred Mesquita.
