TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao on Friday appreciated the efforts of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to improve the quality of education in the state and said the Diocesan Society of Education is confident that the chief minister will accord the Society the necessary facilities to be of genuine service to the people of Goa.
Speaking at the silver jubilee function of the Rosary College of Arts & Commerce, Navelim at the Ravindra Bhavan on Friday, the archbishop further said “We only ask that our educational institutions, which are minority institutions, receive from the government, both at the state and Centre, the consideration and the deference they enjoy from the general public”.
Saying that the Diocesan Society of Education needs support and encouragement from the government, the archibishop said ‘We do appreciate the keen interest the chief minister is taking and the various efforts he is making to improve the quality of education in the state and to introduce different schemes to enhance the same.”
The archbishop reminded the gathering that education is a transformation process, changing human persons and through them the society. “Education is inseparable from personal and social transformation. Education is it not only about giving information, but it helps the emergence of men and women of character, competence, conscience and commitment, people who can contribute towards the transformation of the broken world”, he said.
In his address, the chief minister lauded the excellent progress made by the Rosary College over the years. Parrikar exuded confidence that in the years to come, Rosary College will strive for autonomous status. “If the college require any support from the government, I am very positive on the issue. We need to encourage colleges which can actually deliver”, he said.
Parrikar on Friday advised students not to learn the wrong things from him, but learn only the good things, as he promised to spend half a day in the college around Dusshera-Diwali festival to understand what is lacking from the government side and to ascertain the aspirations and needs of the students
Parrikar confessed that he used to hardly attend 15 to 20 per cent of the classes since attendance was not compulsory in those days,
As the students in the audience clapped and thundered in the auditorium, Parrikar was quick to remind the students that the existing UGC rules mandates 75 per cent attendance, cautioning the students that they might not be permitted to answer the examinations for lack of attendance.
“Don’t learn wrong things from me. Though I did not attend the classes, I used to sit in the library from 9 am to 12 noon. Thus, I did not lack in studies and on the contrary, it has helped me apply my learning to practical life”, he said.
While complimenting Rosary College for giving continuous and good quality education, Parrikar said the college can achieve more with capable and dedicated staff and equally good students in the institution. “Education should be taken to a higher level so that our children can multiply the factor of what they have learnt in the school”, he said.
In his address, Goa University Vice-Chancellor Satish Shetye said the challenge before Goa now is how to take the next step in education to achieve excellence. “We have got the best of infrastructure in the state compared to other universities. The government has also been very supportive in the field of education”, he added.
Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado also spoke.
