Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has clarified that the state government is not inclined towards shutting down schools, particularly Marathi-medium ones. He stated that closures only happen in unavoidable circumstances—primarily due to declining student enrolment as parents increasingly shift their children to urban schools or aided high schools.
“We have not shut down any Marathi schools. What we have done is merged schools in cases where enrolment has dropped significantly,” the Chief Minister said, addressing concerns over the fate of rural education in Goa.
Sawant emphasised that the decision to merge schools is taken only after careful consideration and as a last resort. “Our aim is to provide quality education. But when student numbers fall drastically, merging is the most practical option,” he added.
The government’s statement comes amid growing concern from educationists and local communities about the gradual disappearance of Marathi-medium and rural schools.