Team Herald
MARGAO: The Goa Forward Party (GFP) has sharply criticised the State Education Department’s decision to shift the academic year’s start to April instead of the traditional June opening, calling it an unplanned move made without consulting key
stakeholders.
Addressing the media on Thursday, GFP General Secretary Prashant Naik accused the State government of keeping even private schools in the dark about the abrupt change. He urged the Chief Minister, who also holds the education portfolio, to put the decision on hold until consultations are held and the preparedness of Goa’s educational infrastructure is assessed.
Naik raised concerns about whether the new syllabuses align with the New Education Policy (NEP) and whether the State government has taken a clear stand on scrapping the no-detention policy, which the Centre has already abolished. He painted a scenario where a Class 9 student is promoted in March but later forced to repeat the year due to a policy reversal, adding that it would be a huge psychological setback.
While GFP is not opposed to increasing the number of academic days, Naik stressed that Goa’s traditional two-month break in April and May benefits both students and teachers, who use the time for administrative work. He also pointed out the contradiction in the Chief Minister’s stance, recalling that he had previously deemed
April and May too hot for
conducting classes.
Accusing the government of merely informing stakeholders rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue, Naik warned that implementing the decision without proper planning could lead to chaos. He demanded thorough training and consultations before any changes are enforced.