NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Stating that though the government is committed to its policy of supporting primary education in the state in local languages namely Konkani and Marathi, it would not be able to withdraw grants to over 100 English primary schools run by the Diocesan Society, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, during its four-year tenure has given permissions to open 87 new primary schools in Konkani or Marathi around the state, adhering to its Medium of Instruction Policy.
Responding to a largely attended public meeting organised by the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch at Shiroda in South Goa, in support of the demand to withdraw government grants to over 100 English primary schools, from the academic year 2016-17, Parsekar said that the government would not be able to fulfill the BBSM demand.
“As a Chief Minister and a former teacher, my viewpoint is still the same, that primary education need to be disseminated in one’s mother tongue,” Parsekar, who also holds the education portfolio, mentioned, stating that the primary section of his Arambol-based educational institution – Harmal Panchkroshi – conducts education in mother tongue as he very well understands the importance of such education at the basic level.
“Furthermore, if you compare my school, with another school in the vicinity, which conducts primary education in English, then you would know the benefits of primary education in local languages,” he pointed out, assuring that the government would always support the schools conducting education in mother tongue.
It may be recalled that Parsekar, in the state budget for the financial year 2016-17, had proposes to provide a special grant of Rs 400 per student per month, to the primary schools where the medium of instruction is either Konkani or Marathi.