TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: For now the issue of the Diocesan Society of Education (DSE) seems to have settled with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar assuring the ruling Catholic MLAs that he would look into the matter of granting provisional NOCs, if not for all four, then at least two new higher secondary schools (extension to existing schools), proposed in the rural areas of Canacona, Bicholim, Pernem and Usgao.
During the 90-minute long meeting held at his official residence at Altinho, the chief minister, justifying the delay in granting the permission, argued that it won’t be feasible to allow additional higher secondary schools in these areas, considering that there already exist adequate number of higher secondary schools and that the neighbouring schools have raised objection to new ones, on the ground that it will adversely affect their enrolment. Parsekar is also minister for education.
The chief minister said, “I heard what they wanted to say. I have told them specifically that wherever there is requirement of additional higher secondaries we will adhere to it. But where there are existing higher secondaries I will not give. I have asked them to study the situation and come back to me. I am open for giving additional classes and institutions wherever required. But just by allowing new higher secondaries where it is not required I don’t want to additionally burden the state government.”
The meeting was attended by ministers Alina Saldanha and Avertano Furtado, BJP legislator Michael Lobo, GVP legislator Caetano Silva and independent MLA Benjamin D’Silva. The MLAs submitted a memorandum signed by seven Catholic MLAs which included Congress MLAs Mauvin Godinho and Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco.
Emerging from the meeting, Saldanha said that the chief minister has assured to resolve the grievances as soon as possible. “He (CM) has said that he will be looking into all the issue and wherever necessary, permission would be given. He will ask the director education to study the matter at the earliest,” she said.
“The Diocesan Society of Education is basically asking for extension to existing schools by having additional class XI and XII,” the Minister said.
“Education is an issue not related to any community. For the next meeting all MLAs will be taken into confidence,” Saldanha said when asked why only minority MLAs were approached by the Diocesan Society of Education.
The issues involved are – B.Sc-B.Ed college at Carmel College, Nuvem, higher secondary schools at Usgao, Bicholim, Canacona and Pernem, class V at Seraulim, class VI at Bhatpal, class I at Morjim and grants to D.Ed Institute at Nirmala, Panjim.
Addressing the media, Calangute BJP legislator Michael Lobo said that then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had ‘in-principle’ granted approval to all these higher schools; however there was a delay on the part of the new chief minister.
“The chief minister explained us that it is not feasible to grant permission to all higher secondary schools in the proposed areas as there already exist higher secondary schools and there is possibility that there could be conflict or clashes,” Lobo said adding, “but he has agreed to grant permission to two schools at the earliest”.
The MLA said that students, who passed out of class X from St Theresa of Jesus High School and St Joseph Vaz High School, are waiting for these higher secondary schools to start and hence have not taken admission in other schools. “In many places, the existing colleges are either far or government-run or are full with admissions,” he said.
