“Government cannot give grants to English medium primary schools. This is against the Universal law, where primary education has to be promoted in mother tongue. We stand by our decision that grants be withdrawn.”  Anand Shirodkar

The medium of instruction (˘MOI) of a child at the elementary education is a contentious issue- not of ethnic but of religious identity in Goa. The issue that played a crucial role in 2012 assembly election to ensure then Congress government’s humiliating defeat- lost out its priority during the 2017 assembly elections- even as the rebel RSS group backed Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) made its best possible attempt to woe voters.
In the minds of many voters, English medium schools translate to diocesan schools run by the Churches. To be sure, these are popular with most parents, since fluency in English is perceived as vital for career prospects. However, for many proponents of indigenous culture, promoting English as the medium of instruction is a compromise on identity. They are determined that, at the least, the government should not subsidise, and thus encourage it — even if it tolerates it in the unaided private sector.
Every election, right from assembly polls in 2012, followed by Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and thereafter Zilla panchayat elections in 2015 and now the 2017 assembly polls- the MOI subject is been used to polarize the voters.
Keeping the above facts in mind, the Manohar Parrikar led coalition government has a tedious task ahead to draft a new MOI policy-keeping all sections, particularly the voters of alliance partners happy.
“The current government’s decision on medium of instruction would be spelt out in its common minimum programme. The decision would mostly focus on maintaining the status quo that is continuing grants to those 136 English medium primary schools,” a senior government official told TNV.
The MOI policy, drafted in February 2014, which was incorporated into Goa School Education (amendment) Bill 2014, was referred to the Legislative Assembly’s select committee headed by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in August 2014 after MLAs raised certain issues about the bill.
However, with the new State Assembly being formed, all its previous committees stands automatically dissolved and polices and bills before those committees stands lapsed. So is in case of MOI policy.
Sources at the state Assembly confirm that government will have to draft a new policy as the earlier state assembly failed to pass the policy to be incorporated as Bill, thereby standing it lapsed. “Once the new state assembly is elected, all its past committees automatically get dissolved and the pending bills or policies before it stand lapsed,” sources said.
The then Manohar Parrikar led cabinet in January 2014 drafted the State MOI Policy, continuing grants to 136 English medium primary schools- the once which were allocated grants by then Congress government. At the same time it said that all the primary and secondary school where the medium of education is not in Marathi or Konkani, will have to teach one subject compulsory in Konkani or Marathi till standard X to get grants and recognition from the government.
It had granted powers to the government to withdraw grants and recognition to those schools which did not teach in the mother tongue, and said that those managements found to have criminal background or involved in any criminal case would be taken over and run by an administrator.
“While the select committee constituted under parrikar failed to met even once in 2014, it had six-eight sittings under Laxmikant Parsekar. However, it failed to come to any conclusion,” sources said.
While it failed to reach to any consensus on the MOI policy, the then BJP led government- smelling the possible political outbreak- which happened subsequently- it constituted a 17-member advisory committee in July 2016 for wider consultation and facilitation to government to decide on the contentious MOI issue. The committee which was initially granted 120 days to submit is report-is currently been granted third extension- turning out the entire exercise as mere eye wash.
“Our ongoing extension ends on June 15. We have already held meetings at taluka level. It is not an easy task. We have to consult each and every section including the parents,” the committee chairman Bhaskar Nayak said refusing to comment on whether it will submit its report by June 15 or seek for further extension.
If sources are to be believed, the committee has been receiving poor response to its every consultation held so far. Interestingly, the committee has laid its focus only in North Goa covering all the talukas, while it is yet to make a entry into Salcete- where it will find its biggest critics.
While the education Minister Manohar Parrikar is complete silent on the issue, his coalition partners like Goa Forward and Independent are of the strong view that the ‘parents should decide medium of education for the kids and not government’.
“Medium of instruction should be the choice of parents and not government. Our common minimum programme will speak on the issue in detail,” Minister and coalition partner Vijay Sardesai told TNV.
While drafting the policy, once again, Government will have to play safe because its alliance members are divided on the issue. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which contested against BJP in alliance with anti-English medium school crusaders- the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch ( BBSM )formed Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM)- who are strongly demanding that the grants to English medium schools be withdrawn.
“Government cannot give grants to English medium primary schools. This is against the Universal law, where primary education has to be promoted in mother tongue. We stand by our decision that grants be withdrawn,” GSM president Anand Shirodkar said.

Team TNV