Team Herald
MARGAO: Criticising the government for unilaterally imposing a new school calendar without consulting parents and students, the Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan (GRLA) has condemned the education department for issuing a fresh notification announcing that schools will begin on 7 April, despite a court order.
The implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) is seen as a glaring example of how political decisions can undermine well-intended initiatives. While the NEP includes several progressive policies, it requires careful consideration and input from all stakeholders, said Kennedy Afonso, President of GRLA.
Afonso further criticised the government’s approach, highlighting what he called the irony of enforcing a dictatorial system under the guise of implementing the NEP. He stressed that the policy should be student-centric and that the opinions of students and school management must be prioritised.
“What kind of government fails to respect the genuine demands of parents to the point that they have to seek court intervention for relief? Why isn’t the education department engaging in dialogue with parents to resolve the issue? Aren’t governments supposed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people?” he questioned.
The GRLA also emphasised that the NEP encompasses much more than school timings and called for a comprehensive seminar to discuss its implications with students, parents, teachers, and school management.
Afonso pointed out that no schools had been consulted on the reforms and timings announced by the education department.
The Global Romi Lipi Abhiyan reiterated its support for parents and called for a detailed survey to determine whether students find Devanagari difficult to learn and if they would prefer Konkani in Roman script as an alternative.