Team Herald
MARGAO: A recent report by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India, has spotlighted glaring disparities in educational infrastructure across Goa's schools. The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2023-24 report paints a stark picture: only 20% of government schools in Goa have functional computer facilities for teaching—a sharp contrast to states and union territories like Chandigarh, Delhi, Puducherry, and Kerala, where nearly every school boasts such amenities.
Of Goa's 1,487 schools, just over half (54.9%) have operational computer facilities, though this figure masks deep inequalities. While 94.6% of government-aided schools and 92.9% of private aided schools are equipped, only 158 of 789 government schools meet this basic benchmark. Alarmingly, less than 40% of government and government-aided schools with middle and secondary sections have functional ICT labs, signaling a significant
digital divide.
Goa's schools serve 304,735 students with a teaching force of 14,594, maintaining a pupil-teacher ratio of 21. However, technology adoption remains uneven. Only 25.2% of schools have smart classrooms, 12.8% use projectors, and 36.4% leverage mobile phones for teaching. Although 87.6% of schools have internet connectivity, systemic gaps persist—such as four schools with zero students that still employ 16 teachers, and 238 single-teacher schools managing a combined 3,142 students.
The report lays bare the challenges of scale and resources. Nearly 43% of Goa's schools cater to 50 or fewer students, while 11% accommodate over 500. Yet, there is a silver lining: all schools boast essentials like libraries, electricity, and drinking water. Playgrounds are available in 1,353 schools, while 32 have digital libraries, and 1,470 schools have functional toilets for boys and girls.
Environmental measures remain underdeveloped, with only 51 schools equipped with solar panels and 60 adopting rainwater harvesting systems. The secondary dropout rate is another concern, standing at 7.8%—with boys dropping out at a higher rate (10%) than girls (5.4%).
The situation is even more disheartening for children with special needs (CWSN). Only 9% of schools (131 of 1,487) have toilets suitable for CWSN, though 63% have ramps, and 57% combine ramps with handrails. Currently, 4,341 children with special needs—2,791 boys and 1,550 girls—are enrolled, highlighting the pressing need for Goa to invest in inclusive and equitable infrastructure for its future generations.