Even as its constituted advisory committee on the Medium of Instruction (MOI) issue is yet to conclude its study on the contentious issues, the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government is expected to maintain a status-quo on the matter in its common minimum programme (CMP) document- which would be released on the Statehood Day-May 30.
On March 20, the new government granted second extension of 90 days to the 17-member advisory committee headed by Director of Higher Education Bhaskar Nayak. The fresh extension ends on June 20.
The then Laxmikant Parsekar led BJP government had in July 2016 notified the committee for wider consultation and facilitation to government to decide on the MOI issue. It has to study the entire system of grants and financial support to the Government aided schools for primary education and make its recommendation so as to improve its overall efficiency for achieving the educational goals of the State.
The committee is been asked to visit the neighbouring States along the Konkan belt – Maharashtra, Karnataka- to study the socio-cultural dynamics of the matter.
The committee has till date covered talukas in North Goa which include Sattari, Bicholim, Pernem, Bardez and Tiswadi. The committee received poor response from the schools and parents teachers association (PTAs) but it saw demand for primary education in mother tongue- Marathi or Konkani. Now, the committee will recommence its meeting, after a gap of nearly five months- as the last meetings were held in December before the polls.
Though, the previous BJP government through a cabinet decision decided to continue grants to all 137 English primary schools- which saw massive protest from the anti-English protagonists- the new coalition government is of the firm view that Medium of Instruction at primary level should be the parent choice. At the same time it made it clear that no further grants would be given to new English medium primary schools but only to those schools imparting education in local languages- Marathi or Konkani.
“We have currently maintained status quo on the issue. Our policy is clear that parents should be given choice to select medium of education for their kids. Government cannot decide for their children; but we can provide support,” Agriculture Minister Vijay Sardessai told TNV.
He said that the Government’s way forward on the issue would be highlighted in the CMP- which will be released next month.
Team TNV
