The education department’s circular to schools in the State directing them to summon students in the afternoon on September 5 to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech has evoked strong reactions from many schools across the State. In the edition of September 5 we published a report compiling the general mood of parents and teachers. On the eve of Teacher’s Day, we bring to you detailed reactions from various schools across Goa’s towns. The controversial circular, which was issued to schools during the Ganesh vacations, has taken school managements by surprise, with many claiming that they were either yet to receive the circular or that they were hurriedly informed by education officials via telephone about the circular. While many schools have questioned the wisdom of the circular, others complained about logistical and infrastructure problems, stating that they either do not have sufficient space to accommodate all students in one area or that, they do not have cable TV facilities to telecast the PM’s speech.
Circular irks parents
Schools in the port town which re-opened after Ganesh vacations are now in a fix over the education department’s circular, issued by the Directorate of Education to call the school children on ‘Teachers Day’ from 2.30 pm to 4.45 pm to listen to the speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When contacted, many heads of government, private and diocesan schools in the port town admitted that though they have TVs in the schools, they did not have cable connection to telecast the PM’s speech.
“It is not possible to accommodate hundreds of students in a hall and to watch the speech on TV, as the TV screen is very small,” said the head of one school.
Other school heads informed that they conduct secondary section classes in the morning, while some conduct primary section and others conduct higher secondary classes in the evenings in the same premises, making it difficult to find adequate space to telecast the speech.
A number of parents have reacted sharply to the circular which forced students to visit the school in the afternoon merely to listen to the PM’s speech.
Speaking to Herald, the parents said they did not understand the central government’s logic in directing the state governments to ask school managements to summon children in the evening to listen to the speech of the Prime Minister.
“Our children go for private tuitions in different subjects and I do not understand in what way our children will benefit from the speech of the Prime Minister,” said Navnath Naik from Vasco.
Another parent, Asutosh Porob, questioned the wisdom of the Human Resources Department (MHRD) in directing schools to call children in the evening to listen to the PM’s speech. “If the child wants to listen to the speech, he or she can watch it on TV at home instead of going to the school,” said Porob.
“It is an absurd circular from the MHRD, as one cannot force the institutions and the children to follow its orders. It should be left to the parents and students to decide whether to send their children to the schools for the programme or not,” added Porob.
Schools unable to provide infra
The Director of Education (DoE) circular directing all heads of schools to get school children to view the Prime Minister’s address on TV on the occasion of Teacher’s Day has put many schools in a quandary, with many school managements unable to provide the required infrastructure for the telecast.
The circular dated August 28 has, incidentally, reached only a few of the aided schools which were reopened on Wednesday after the Ganesh vocation. Aware that many schools had not received the circular, the Canacona ADEI is believed to have passed instructions over phone to some schools.
Many schools are learnt to have called on the taluka ADEI to verify the reported circular.
Many schools in Canacona are caught in a web as to how to honour the circular, as a programme for Teachers’ Day celebrations have already been planned and finalized before the Ganesh vacation.
When contacted, the headmaster of a minority high school in Canacona said the DoE circular was delivered only on Wednesday.
“We were unable to take any decision in the matter, especially making available the required infrastructure like TV set or large screen. We are, however, likely to arrive at a decision only on Thursday, before weighing all pros and cons. The circular has put us in a fix,” said the headmaster.
The headmaster of another school in Canacona also echoed similar sentiments.
“See, we had already finalized our programme for Teachers’ Day, which will end only after 1 pm. How can we call back the students, as most of them come from various parts of the taluka. However, since we received the circular only today, we will take a decision only after discussing with the management,” the headmaster said.
Incidentally, heads of other institutions said they were exploring ways like asking pupils to watch the PM’s address either at their home TV’s or in the neighbourhood, if their homes did not have a TV set.
The circular has also put most government schools in Canacona taluka in a fix, as no government school is equipped with a TV set.
“The issue was discussed threadbare in our school. It was decided that each teacher would be given a group of students and that particular teacher would take the group to a private house to watch the PM’s TV address on Teachers Day,” said a government middle school teacher.
Confusion over circular
Confusion prevailed among many schools in and around Calangute over the circular by education department asking teachers and students to remain present on September 5 for the screening of the prime minister’s message in the school premises after class hours.
Only a few schools claimed to have received the circular, while other schools were informed by the development over telephone, demanding compliance of the circular.
The school managements are, however, yet to take a decision on the circular especially since some schools are not well equipped with the infrastructure to telecast the PM’s speech.
Arrangements made: D’Sa
Admitting that they were yet to receive the education department’s circular, Holy Family High School, Porvorim, Chairperson Fatima D’Sa has, however, said the school would make arrangements to telecast the prime minister’s speech.
“We have still not received the circular. I have advised one of our staff members to get the circular from the education department. The school will comply with the directions given in the circular. The school has got computer room, where we will make arrangement to show the speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said D’Sa.
It’s Children’s Day not Modi’s day
Citizen John Pereira, Margao
It looks like this government wants to dictate terms to schools without even taking their opinion and feedback .Many schools may have planned some programmes for the children and the children are eagerly waiting to enjoy the day with their teachers.
These untimely circulars create a lot of confusion for schools. It’s time for schools to revolt against such autocratic behaviour of the education department. Ultimately, it is the innocent children and the teachers too who suffer.
Guru-Purnima Diwas
Citizen Anselmo Fernandes, Curtorim
Teacher’s Day was the day we were always looking forward to, so that we could show our appreciation to our teachers for all the knowledge they had bestowed upon us to make us righteous citizens of our nation, India. We used to organise programmes just to bring a smile on their faces and to show how much we loved them.
But now by cancelling the programmes to make way for a “boring” speech by our PM Modi. (I have to use the word “boring” because you have to just imagine the plight of our children listening to a 2-hour long talk and that too during play time, it is like torture for the kids). And why must the children listen to it when it is broadcast on a Teacher’s Day? Shouldn’t our teachers be listening to it? Will he be repeating the same thing on Children’s Day?
Is our country (and state) a Democratic or is it ruled by a Dictator?
The emperor has no clothes
Citizen Matias Lobo, Oman
The dictate of the Modi Govt forcing lakhs of children, teachers and school management to go to extreme ends to watch his speech on TV is nothing but a clear example of his autocratic rule which should be opposed by all likeminded and right thinking parents, teachers and school management to send a message that we live in a democracy and not in a dictatorial regime.
When there are thousands of schools without toilets, power supply and other essential requirements including teachers how will these schools be able to televise the address of the dictator and for what objective???
Teacher’s Day is a day meant to honor and revere the lakhs of teachers who work tirelessly to bring about the best in our young children and not to use it as a political tool.
This Emperor is beating the drum and blowing the flute but sadly he has no clothes!!!
Just imagining…
Citizen Almir de Sousa, Chorao
I am just imagining that had the present circular from the Education Department come one year earlier or any other year during the UPA II regime there would have been huge street demonstrations in all the talukas and the one at Panjim headed by Manohar Parrikar flanked by one or two of his ‘altar-boys’. Today everything seems to be on the quieter side, why?
It also reminds me of another circular which came with a CD to be viewed in the schools somewhere in 2006 or 2007!
With these types of Circulars, CDs, I imagine the results of the elections of 2017 and 2019! Sooner or later the People of India react!
They have done it at the time of Emergency!
