ROADMAP TO MAKE GOA 'FIRST WORLD' STATE
[Even as educationists, teachers, students and generally those interested
are busy debating whether the proposal to convert Goa University into a
Central University should be accepted or not, Goa's Higher Education Icon,
Fr. Romualdo De Souza, SJ, argues that Goa should make a determined pitch
and convince the Centre to locate one of the 14 world class institutions it
proposes in the 11th Five Year Plan period, here in this beautiful state.]
[Fr. Romualdo de Souza prescribes
· One of the 14 world class Universities planned by the Central Govt
should be set up in Goa.
· Goa is the most suitable location for the world class University
· Our aim must be to offer Goan youth the best opportunities to
actualize their potential.
· Opportunity to make Goa a desired knowledge destination for the
world.
· The existing system and institutions, designed to serve and economy
that has been left behind, cannot through improvements be upgraded to the
desired world-class level.
· The present bureaucratic organization of the educational system,
along with the vested interests that dominate it, do not allow our
specialists the scope to make their contribution.
· We have now the opportunity to determine the future of our
education. Please let us not sell Goa short.]
[Thumbs down for Central University.
As for the suggested alternative to upgrade the Goa University into a
Central University, apart from changing the label and having acesss to more
funds, it is difficult to see what advantages it will bring. It has already
been pointed out that Goa will have to transfer to the Centre all the assets
of the present Goa University which are estimated at Rs. 4000 crore.
The affiliated colleges will continue to be the responsibility of the state
government which will have to fund them. All prevailing rules and regulation
governing faculty's relations to the college will remain the same.
This appears to be the reason why universities like those of Bombay, Pune,
and other in neighbouring states have not accepted the Central government's
offer.]
[The main Article]
If within the next five years, Goa is to achieve the status of a 'first
world' state, as desired by the government, an important step towards that
goal will be to set up world-class institutions which will attract people
from all over the world looking for specialized services, which should
simultaneously be made accessible to all the people of Goa and raise their
standard of life.
Among he various sectors that can, within a reasonably short time, be raised
to a world class level are hospitality, health care, and higher education.
The discussion here is limited to higher education. In discussing the
direction in which higher education in Goa should be developed, our
consistent objective must be to offer Goan youth the best opportunities we
can create to actualize their potential, and simultaneously to make Goa a
desired knowledge destination for the world.
As the Prime Minister, and also the Deputy Chairman of the Planning
Commission, pointed out to our Chief Minister earlier this year, Goa has the
potential to develop high-end, high quality institutions of learning. We
have a fairly large number of very competent specialists who can achieve
this goal. The present bureaucratic organization of the educational system,
along with the vested interests that dominate it, do not allow our
specialists the scope to make their contribution, hence their present
reluctance to commit their services.
Keep in mind the promise made by our Prime Minister to the people of Goa. He
said, "Our government will offer whatever support is required to invest in
Goa's knowledge sector. Goa is already home to several institutions of
national importance. I am aware of Goa's desire for an equitable share of
facilities for higher education. The central government will bear this in
mind while allocating new institutions for higher learning as envisaged in
the 11th Plan.
The government of India has announced its decision to set up 14 world-class
universities within the 11th Five Year Plan period. The government of Goa
should immediately demand that one of these be located in Goa, and make
available the required land for the purpose.
As the most developed state in India, Goa is the most suitable location for
a world-class university. We must give up the idea that the existing
educational system and institutions, which were designed to serve an economy
that has been left behind , can through incremental improvements be upgraded
to come anywhere near the desired world-class level. In order not to lose
time, it is important to make a fresh start now. Once we have a world class
university, popular demand will make the existing higher education
institutions upgrade themselves to reach the benchmark set by the new
world-class university.
A sophisticated economy needs a wide variety of universities pursuing a wide
variety of missions. A one-size-fits all' system cannot cater to the complex
needs of a modern sophisticated economy. That is the primary reason why the
best of our graduates have difficulty finding employment. The objective of
our choice concerning higher education should always be to multiply the
opportunities we make available to our youth, and also to make Goa an
educational destination for the world.
If Goa opts for a central world-class university, it will have to lease to
the central government between four to five hundred acres of land. That will
be Goa's contribution. The central government will meet all the capital
expenses for building and equipping the campus, and also all the annual
recurring expenses. A world-class Central University will give Goa the
opportunity to recruit a world class faculty from top-ranking universities
of the world, which an upgraded university will never attract.
The world-class Central university will be a research centre contributing to
the economic progress of industry and of the nation. It will also be a
residential university to provide suitable facilities to students from other
parts of our country and abroad. Living together on campus and learning with
and from each other will enhance their academic growth.
The campus will mirror the diversity of our country and the world in which
we live. In such an environment, the students will come to value the
differences in one another along with the similarities, and to appreciate
that the human condition is best served through understanding, acceptance,
and mutual respect. Living together, they can be helped to understand and
appreciate Goa and its unique culture.
The suggested alternative is to upgrade the Goa University into a Central
University. Apart from changing the label and hav ing access to more funds,
it is difficult to see what advantages it will bring. It has already been
pointed out that Goa will have to transfer to the Centre all the assets of
the present Goa University which are estimated as Rs. 4000 crore.
The affiliated colleges will continue to be the responsibility of the state
government which will have to fund them. All prevailing rules and regulation
governing faculty's relations to the college will remain the same. This
appears to be the reason why universities like those of Bombay, Pune and
other in neighbouring states have not accepted the Central government's
offer.
The quality of an institution of higher learning depends, to a large extent,
on the quality and expertise of its faculty.
If we drop all pretences, we will readily admit that the quality of the
faculty in the Goa University cannot, in general, be called 'high quality',
and possibly even less so, the quality of the faculty in affiliated
colleges. I am sure there are many exceptions, but these lack the academic
environment for their growth and for optimal performance. New opportunities
could come their way through a new world class university.
The people of Goa have now an opportunity to determine the future of our
education.
Please let us not sell Goa short.
COMMENTS:
Dear Goans Everywhere,
In his above write-up, Fr. Romualdo de Souza of the Management Institute of
Goa, Ribandar, has said it all and beautifully too.
It is a fact that the levels of educational excellence is at heart of all
Goans. No sooner than Goans were confronted with the problem of choosing the
Central University status (upgradation) for the Goa University, the
CITIZENS' [OF GOA] INITIATIVE organized a public debate with the topic
"SHOULD GOA UNIVERSITY GO CENTRAL?" at the Institute Menezes Braganza,
Panjim on 30th. July, 2008. The Goa University as well as most of the
colleges in Goa were invited to send-in their teams to take part in this
debate. The purpose of this debate was to bring to light the merits as well
as the demerits of this move, if this move would benefit Goa and Goans in
the long run. The 'pro' side argued that Central University status would
make available more funding which is desperately needed to enhance the
quality of performance of the University. The 'against' side argued that Goa
University should be left alone as it was Goa's only university. If a
central university was desired, then Goa should opt of a new Central
University along with the existing Goa University.
Fr. Romualdo has put all arguments at rest when he says that a brand new
world-class central university is a must for Goa. And he is right about it.
Goans everywhere will agree with Fr. Romualdo's assessments for he knows
what he is talking about.
At the home front, Goans world-wide must prevail on the Government of Goa ,
especially on our new and dynamic Education Minister Atanasio Monserrate to
convince the Manmohan Singh led Central Government that Goa is the place to
set up one of the proposed world-class central Univerties as proposed by Fr.
Romualdo.
It is a fact that Goa Education Minister is facing challenges to his
appointment as Goa's Education Minister for his low grade education-level.
But Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate can convert this challenge to his advantage
by forcing his government to make the required chunk of land available to
set up the world-class central university in Goa. And he himself can be a
formidable catalyst in this process. If he does that, he will have warmed
the hearts of Goans world-wide who have perennially been hungry for an
educational set-up like this. In that case, who would want to question Mr.
Monserrate's educational qualifications?
We prevail on Goans world-wide to email this write-up to our esteemed Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at the below given email addresses especially
when he has been quoted by Fr. Romualdo De Souza for having agreed that Goa
needs an educational institution of class. Indeed, Goans will be eternally
grateful to Dr. Manmohan Singh for this unique gift. If he says so, Goa can
have it, there is no doubt about that.
Dr. Manmohan Singh Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
PS: We have talked to Fr. Romualdo today at length and have congratulated
him for making it possible for Goan intellectuals to make up their minds
about the world-class central university for Goa. Fr. Romualdo has agreed to
meet the party's delegation of executive members who will want to discuss
with him more on this matter.
floriano
goasuraj
