PANJIM: The Education Department has rejected all 8 applications received from institutions to start English medium primary schools in Goa. However, the department has also rejected 6 Marathi and 7 Konkani medium schools taking the total tally to 21.
Speaking to Herald, Education Director G P Bhat said, “We had received a total of 40 applications from education institutions for setting up schools across Goa, out of that we have rejected all 8 applications received for English medium primary schools because the government had come out with a policy to promote regional language schools.”
“Out of that 8 English Schools, we have also rejected 6 Marathi and 7 Konkani because the areas in which they applied for already have more schools. The department had received applications from Ponda, Tiswadi and Salcete along with few others. Other reports are awaited,” Bhat said.
When asked whether government schools could face enrolment issues if permission is granted to new primary schools, Bhat said, “Permission can be given to only those few schools in areas where currently there are either no schools or reaching is a problem. We have received applications across all areas even the areas which currently have schools but only a few might be considered as per feasibility.” Sources have said that if these aided new primary schools were allowed in the areas which already have a government school, they might face a closure due to lack of enrolment as currently a maximum number of these government schools are facing the heat and are on the verge of closure.
Meanwhile, the department had earlier said that it had received 20 applications from educational institutions for setting up new Higher Secondary Schools (HSS) across Goa, out of which 20 applications, 11(aided) are for North Zone, South Zone, 1 (unaided) and 8 (aided) in the Central Zone.
