Notwithstanding whatever that has been written and spoken about Goa's number
one vexing problem today, as the spokesperson for the Goa Su-Raj Party, I
am putting down the Party's views on how Goa's Education System should
function w.r.t. MOI at Primary Level.
1. Medium Of Instructions in Goa's Primary Schools ( Goa Government aided
ones) should be in Goa's mother tongue which is Konkani.
That, what has been taught as 'Konkani' for the past 20 years is not the
matter of discussion here but Goa Su-Raj Party does not accept the Konkani
as taught to Goans is Konkani at all :-) . However, Goa will have to put
it's heads together to resolve whether Konkani should be taught in the
Primary Level in Romi and/or in Devanagiri.]
2. That, Marathi Language is not Goa's mother tongue, period. Therefore it
cannot be accepted as the 'Medium of Instructions' in Goa Government aided
Primary schools.
[That Marathi has been taught in Goa for donkey's years is not the argument
here]
3. Primary schools may be run in Goa by anyone and everyone, in whatever
regional languages, including the Marathi Language. The Goa Government
should have no issue on this. These Primary Schools shall get the 'grants'
allocated by the CENTER (if any) to States in the Union for this purposes,
but not the Goa Government grant, which grant shall go entire to the
Konkani language MOI Primary schools. That means, Primary schools run with
Konkani as MOI shall get both these grants, Central grant being equally
divided between all regional language Primary Schools on whatever criterion
set for evaluation for receiving this grant.
4. English Language shall be a SUBJECT PAR EXCELLENCE, taught in the
Primary Level from Standard I to IV in two stages in the Goa Government
aided schools.
(1) Fluency in Speaking (2) Learning to read and write.
The syllabi and the duration for the two stages shall be such that each and
every Primary student is proficient in the ENGLISH language for the
transition to the Secondary level where MOI shall continue to be only
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
5. Konkani should be offered as a Second Language (of choice) at the
Secondary Level along with other languages, including Marathi.
6. Structural plans including the internal environment and facilities
offered by Government aided Primary Level Schools in Goa shall be identical
and the best, on lines or even better to anything existing in the rest of
the country or in the rest of the world.
Explanation:
The Goa Government has the number one obligation to see that Goa's citizens
know to read and write Goa's mother tongue, when it is the official
Language of the State of Goa, and specially when it is the criterion for
government jobs.[The question of speaking the language does not arise as it
is Goa's mother tongue]
Goa Su-Raj Party respects all languages, including the Marathi Language. But
it shall go forth and amend the Goa's Language Act thus:
1. KONKANI shall be the sole Official Language of the State of Goa. [
'Marathi shall also be used for Official purposes' shall be REMOVED]
2. The Official Language Konkani, for the purpose of Government
administration, shall be KONKANI written in ROMI as well as in DEVANAGIRI
scripts.
[The 'ONLY DEVANAGIRI' shall be erased]
If the present Goa government (or whatever it is that goes as the Government
of Goa) has any sense, it will go by the above and put a stop at dividing
the people of Goa on this stupid 'Medium of Instructions' issue, which issue
is more and more seen as a 'political' gimmick, especially with the fast
approaching Assembly Elections, possibly in October, 2011.
Cheers
floriano
goasuraj
9890470896
www.goasu-raj.org
PS: The above shall be GSRP's Plank for the ensuing Goa Legislative Assembly
Elections.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nisser Dias" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2011 9:05 PM
Subject: [Goanet] COLUMN: ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE - Those opposing English MOI
have a chequered background
ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE
Those opposing English MOI have a chequered background
By Nisser Dias
nisserdias at gmail.com
SMS to 9422437029
The Congress legislative party in Goa did it once again, it has done
what it is best at – dashed the hopes of its voters by doing a volte
facie on the ‘Medium of Instruction’ (MOI). And this time round they
have stabbed parents of school going children and retracted from the
promises of including English as one languages for MOI from the next
academic year from primary level onwards.
The demand of the parents was simple give us the right to choose the
best for our children, do not impose your view and dictate terms to us
as we are living in a democracy and not under dictatorial rule. And to
make their point, tens of thousands of parents gathered at Azad Maidan
at a very short notice as a show of strength.
the ABE and Diocesan Society of Goa should keep their schools closed
till the government gives in to the parents demand and lastly parents
should vote against those MLAs who are not only opposing English medium
of Instruction, but also those collaborating with the chief minister and
those not support the Education minister who want to bring about the
change. (ENDS)
=======================================================
First published in Gomantak Times, Goa - March 31, 2011
