Team Herald
MARGAO: With the monsoon session of the Assembly around the corner, FORCE (Forum for Rights of Children’s Education) has chalked out plans to get its demand fulfilled by the government.
FORCE has threatened a hunger strike if their demand for translating the cabinet note granting aid to English medium schools into action is not met. It has also planned a march to the Legislative Assembly to condemn government for denying grants to English medium schools. It has also begun mobilizing parents-teachers associations of English schools in support of the strike and the march.
“It is a do-or-die situation for the parents who favour English medium. We have to act this time or we will lose the battle forever. Every MLA will be responsible for what happens in the Assembly and they won’t be able to refuse our demands,” said FORCE Convenor Savio Lopes at a general body meeting of the organisation that was attended by more than 300 members.
Lopes, who has threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike from July 27, has appealed to the parents of students studying in English medium schools to join in with a hunger strike supporting the cause.
Fr Zeferino D’Souza of the Archdiocesan Board of Education has appealed to the parents to support FORCE in their fight for the rights of English medium schools. He said, “The government denied permissions for new schools and we shouldn’t tolerate it any more. It is a symbolic strike and we have to support it.”
