Primary Education in Goa - English v/s Regional Languages By Tomazinho Cardozo
As per the reply given by Shri. Luizinho Faleiro, Minister for Education, in the Legislative Assembly of Goa, the Government has given permission to start 12 new Primary schools in the state since January 2005. Out of these 12 schools, 10 are in English, 2 in Marathi and none in Konkani. We proudly say that our mother tongue is Konkani. We boast Konkani is the Official Language of Goa. But in reality, no parents want their children tohave their primary education in Konkani. This is the reason why we see today an increase of 10 schools in English medium, 2 in Marathi and none in Konkani. Why Konkani medium schools are not patronized by Goans, is a very serious matter. Majority of the parents who send their children to Konkani medium schools find it very difficult because Konkani is taught in Devnagori script and the dialect used in the text books is not liked by them. Unfortunately no body wants to study this aspect which, according to me, is the base of survival of Konkani medium schools in Goa. Secondly, Primary education has not been introduced in Goa because people love it but because there was no option but to accept it. Konkani medium primary schools were introduced in Goa only in 1991. This was because the teachers teaching in privately managed English medium schools filed a writ petition in the High Court demanding Government pay scales. The Hon. High Court accepted the demand of teachers and directed the managements of these schools to pay the teachers as per the Government pay scale. The then Goa Government, having a bias against English education, formulated a policy to give salary grants to the schools which opt for primary education in regional languages, i.e. Konkani or Marathi. Overnight, majority of these schools which were belonging to the Archdiocesan Board of Education, (ABE) were converted into Konkani medium schools, that too in Devnagori script. Since then the number of Konkani medium schools remained the same, i.e. 137 schools out of which 126 belong to ABE while the remaining 11 belong to others. No other managements have made any efforts to opt for Konkani medium, or to start a new school in Konkani medium. On the contrary, they preferred education in English medium. It is for this reason that the number of English medium primary schools increased from 46 in 1994 to more than 100 in 2006. Parents want their children to study in order that they (children) prepare themselves to face the challenges of life when they grow up. Every parent wishes that his/her child gets a good job after finishing his/her education. The language for getting jobs today is only English. It is not only in Goa but throughout India and abroad, it is only the English language which can help you to earn your daily bread. Hence all the regional languages in our country, including Konkani and Marathi in Goa, will find it very difficult to survive. Hence the future of the schools teaching through the medium of regional languages in Goa, particularly Konkani medium schools, appears to be bleak. On analyzing the scenario of primary education in Goa, one finds that all the schools having Konkani medium today, were English medium schools prior to 1991. The number of students in these schools decreases year after year and simultaneously the number of English medium schools increases every year. There are people wishing to establish English medium schools in every village of Goa. Two or three years back, when I was in service as Headmaster of St. Josephs High School, Arpora, I received a letter from North Educational Zone, Mapusa, requesting me to give my say as one agency proposed to open an English medium school in Arpora. I objected to the proposal and at the same time requested the authorities of North Educational Zone, Mapusa to give permission to the management of St. Josephs High School, Arpora to open that school if there was a genuine need. This was because St. Josephs High School was an English medium school some years back. Due to this request the proposal did not see the light of the day. But how long are we going to block the setting up of English medium schools when the people want them? Moving against the time will only make all these schools non-functional in times to come. No one would like to study in a language in order to support its promotion. On the contrary the language in which one studies should support him to live a decent life. It is due to this reason that even poor people, do a lot of sacrifices and send their children to English medium schools. Some months back, while addressing the educationists at International Centre, Dona Paula, Chief Minister, Mr. Rane said that his personal opinion was to have primary education in English as the whole world has become a global village today and that English is the only effective link language. Mr. Rane is absolutely right. Will the managements of these schools act? Will the Government have a fresh look at the medium of primary education in Goa? It is a crying need of the time and needs to be attended on priority basis. (ENDS)
