Team Herald
PANJIM: Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) on Saturday appealed to the government as well as the Konkani and Marathi academies to save schools in their regional language.
BBSM Convener Subhash Velingkar, supported by a large group of BBSM members, slammed the government for rejecting 36 applications that sought permission to start new primary schools in the Konkani medium while only two schools were allowed, after a delay of one month.
“They gave permission to two primary schools in Konkani medium, after one month’s delay when admissions of students were done in the other schools. Who will wait for the delayed admission of students? This shows the government is making all attempts to shut Konkani schools,” he said, calling it a ‘massacre’ by the government.
Condemning the government’s moves to discourage primary education in the mother tongue, BBSM reminded the government on how it had pulled out support to the Congress and then BJP during the past elections after these parties went back on their promises.
BBSM also appealed to the Diocesan Society of Education to revert to its earlier assurance to the then State government to change their Medium of Instruction (MoI) to Konkani.
“We appeal to the Archbishop, Church and DSE that they should not contravene to the assurance given to the then government, in writing, about running the elementary schools in Konkani. They did so for 21 years (till 2001), however, all of a sudden they changed their MoI to English. They should re-think. If they revert to their old assurance, it would be a big contribution to the National Education Policy,” Velingkar said.
Meanwhile, the political party – Goa Suraksha Manch – born out of BBSM to counter the main parties, has reconstituted its coordination committee with a number of resolutions and some new members.
