PERNEM: Almost nine government primary schools have gone out of action in Pernem and Bardez over the last three years due to zero enrollments. The shut down schools were running in Hali, Katurli, Bandarwada in Tuem, Kharwat in Dhargal, Khutwal and Talarna. 

Presently, there are 68 government primary schools in Pernem taluka, 65 in Bardez, 22 aided primary schools in Pernem and 54 aided primary school in Bardez.

Enquiries have revealed that enrollments in government primary schools are coming doww every new academic year and at least one government primary school shuts down every year. The government primary schools are becoming irrelevant as parents prefer sending their children to English medium schools. It is also learnt that enrollments in aided schools were higher than in government primary schools since medium of instruction in the aided schools is English. Most parents fear that sending their children to Konkani or Marathi medium schools would deprive them proficiency in English and put them at a disadvantage in the future.

Another reason for the depletion in enrollments in government primary schools is poor infrastructure and lack of teachers -- most primary schools do not have full time English teachers and that the teachers work in more than one school at a time.

Besides, the schemes provided by the government to aided schools also work to their advantage in attracting enrollments. Every aided school receives Rs 400 every month under special grant for construction of toilets, stationery, toiletries and sanitary items. However, instead of using the funds for what they were granted, the managements use the grants to attract students to their schools. 

It is also learnt that teachers of aided schools visit the villages at the start of academic year and offer money to the parents for enrolling their child in aided school.

The other scheme is provision of mid day meal. Under this service each aided primary school appoints one helper for a batch of 20 students and since aided schools are privately managed, the management appoints two or three helpers at the time.

Another service lacking in government primary schools is Balrath. The Balrath bus service is meant for the students belonging to OBC, SC and ST from 5th to 10th Std at aided schools. However, since there is no proper guideline in place and no specific radius is mandated, aided schools offer Balrath to all sections of students. To avoid the trouble of dropping their children to schools and picking them up from there, parents enroll their children in aided primary school.