Setting papers
The administration of GBSHSE needs to be urgently overhauled, before the beginning of the next academic year. Every year our students who answer the Board Exam are given at least one wrong question on the question paper. These questions are either not solvable or are outside the syllabus. Why is this happening? Emphasis should be laid on reducing students’ stress, but the GBSHSE is increasing students’ stress levels by not specifying what to expect for the complete academic year.
Let the GBSHSE decide before the beginning of the next academic year what is expected during the entire academic year, without making any changes till the next academic year. Also the issue of wrong questions must be solved. The Goa Headmasters Association who set some of the question papers also needs a helping hand from GBSHSE as their question papers are also laughable.
The GBSHSE website is in a pathetic state. It requires a facelift. Most of the schools and students have access to the internet these days and the website can be used as a tool to enhance the process of teaching and learning in Goa.
Antonio Barbosa, Colva
Educating politicans
Soon after panchayat election result were declared there were claims and counter claims by our MLAs and ex MLA that their supporters have won the panchayat election. What was astonishing that our politicians still don’t know the meaning of panchayat raj and democracy. Our Constitution was drafted in such a way that the MLA should not interfere in local bodies such as Panchayat and municipal council.The Election Commission should make it mandatory for all the contesting candidates to have their medical examination done from certified medical practitioner before filling the form, and a course regarding what the constitution says about Panchayat Raj
Those elected to the panchayat should realise that they are elected not to serve MLA or their own family members but to solve the real and genuine problems affecting their wards and implement the various scheme. What was more surprising was that our newly elected MLAs whom people have elected as clean, young, educated and non-corrupt are seem to be like their predecessors. The Chief Minister should conduct crash courses for all the sitting MLAs about the panchayat raj; only then will the common man be able to get his genuine problems solved.
George Joao Fernandes, Navelim
Good governance
Ego and arrogance in governance is once again raising its ugly head to justify extravagant Government expenditure on the swearing-in ceremony recently. When Truth becomes public knowledge, it gets dubbed as blackmail. RTI suddenly tastes bitter and former star campaigners sour. It is a sin to render a public apology for one’s mistakes when in government. Apologies are only to be reserved to come to power. When a precedent is set for distributing pedas and patties, it can well end up with distribution of chocolate muffins by the next CM. Did ideas for heightened corruption after 2004 emanate from such innocent looking precedents of distributing free goodies and fast track clearances for projects from 2000 to 2003? All precedents set in expenditures are to be perceived as corruption when in the Opposition, while the same becomes progressive governance when in the ruling benches. And, who does not blackmail whom in politics?
Very soon the media will also look black for contributing towards increased public knowledge of what good governance is all about. After all, this is just another page in the black era of Goa’s politics.
Soter D’Souza, Socorro
Mature decisions
This refers to the article ‘Unhealthy polarisations’ by Ferederick Noronha ( May 16, 2012). I found the article interesting. He writes that we should stop our divides and serve the people. He asks if we are mature enough to do so. What is maturity? It is a solution to a problem that we face, acting on it and judging the result. If positive and desirable, we must continue with the action; if the results are undesirable or accompanied by undesirable side effects we must then abandon the thoughts or beliefs about the solution.
Parrikar believed he should induct Alina before her election. Th is resulted in a controversy which Parrikar did not like. So he decided not to induct her prematurely. Churchill Alemai is using the Mopa issue to project himself as a true representative of the people and get back into the government. Will Parrikar like that? Can he checkmate Alemao by denotifying Mopa with the added advantage of guaranteed re-election?
That is for Parrikar to decide. I wish him success. I want him to be reelected even if Mopa has to be jettisoned.
John Razana, USA