11 Aug 2022  |   06:18am IST

Merger of primary schools: CM says proposal still in planning stage

The majority of schools across Goa had given a thumbs-down to the government's proposal of a merger under its amalgamation policy.

Team Herald

PANJIM: Amidst ongoing opposition to the amalgamation of government primary schools, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that the proposal is still in the planning stage and consultations are done with parents, teachers and other stakeholders. 

Hitting back at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has proposed to adopt the schools, Sawant said that he does not require advice from any political parties and that his government is capable of protecting the schools. 

“The government is capable of running all schools. Many primary schools have four or five students or just one teacher. The quality of education becomes a problem,” Sawant, who is also Education Minister, said. 

“With the merger, we can provide more students and more teachers under one roof along with providing better facilities,” Sawant added. 

The Chief Minister said that everything is just in the planning stage as the consultation process is going on. 

“We have not taken any final decision as yet. We are just at the planning stage. We are consulting parents, teachers and other stakeholders in the matter,” he said, urging everyone that there is no need for any anxiety over the future of these schools. 

Stating that many schools are run by private management through government aid, Sawant said that State doesn’t require ‘outside’ political parties “to run our schools or guide us on how to run schools”. 

The majority of schools across Goa had given a thumbs-down to the government's proposal of a merger under its amalgamation policy.  Protests by teachers, parents and students have been reported across several talukas against the government’s decision.