PONDA: Primary education in the Durbhat-Adpai-Agapur Panchayat jurisdiction has taken a hit. The village had five Government Primary Schools (GPS), which faced closure on account of zero enrolment. Of these, four were converted into anganwadis, but with parents preferring private play schools or kindergartens has taken a toll on these anganwadis which are now dying a slow death.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had recently stated that the Government Primary Schools (GPS) which are closed or vacant will be converted into anganwadis.
Earlier, these anganwadis had 25-30 children, the figure of which has now reduced to single digit.
Of these four Anganwadis, the one at Chikhlim has been left with a lone teacher and a helper for the past one month. The parents have enrolled their children in private play schools while the remaining three anganwadis have poor enrolment of four to six students. The reason is that parents prefer private schools and hope that their children will excel and fulfil their dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, etc.
The Anganwadi at Agapur-Undir Simer has only six students while the one at Adpai, which is in bad shape, has four students. The locals complain that despite complaints, the Electricity Department failed to restore the power supply for the past four days.
The anganwadi at Durbhat has around seven students.
Most parents send their children aged between 3 to 6 years to private schools five-10 km away with the hope that their kids will have a bright career.
Some parents say it’s a misunderstanding that learning in private schools or the English medium makes students bright. In fact they feel the medium of instruction in their mother tongue will help their children’s success.
Locals said permissions for kindergarten and private primary schools have taken a toll on government primary schools.
Social worker from Adpai, Prashant Naik said, “Every parent feels that kindergarten will help their sons and daughters fulfil their dreams of having a bright future. However, failure to pick up English at a young age could affect their chances. Balrath provided to private schools has taken a toll on government primary schools as well as anganwadis. Despite the presence of two schools in the Adpai Panchayat jurisdiction, parents send their children 10 km away to the school at Kavlem because of the Balrath facility. If the government wants to save anganwadis and government primary schools from shutting down then it should stop providing Balrath facilities to private schools.”
Prashant said, “Durbhat-Adpai-Agapur Panchayat jurisdiction has four anganwadis. Earlier there were around 25 to 30 children, however, following permission granted to private primary schools and kindergarten, the anganwadis and government primary schools are now on the verge of closure. The parents have preferred kindergartens where the medium of instruction is English.”
Former MGP senior leader Hanumanth Naik said, “The anganwadis are on the verge of collapse because the government has permitted private kindergartens near anganwadis. On account of this, the parents started admitting their children in these kindergartens. When former CM Shashikala Kakodkar was the then Education Minister had taken a stand not to allow kindergartens near Government Primary Schools.”
