PANJIM: In a bid to promote
primary education in the mother tongue, the State cabinet on Friday approved the
scheme to provide special grants of Rs 400 per student per month to aided
primary schools that have either Konkani or Marathi as the medium of
instruction (MoI).
The scheme was announced in
the Budget 2016-17, replacing the existing scheme of onetime special grant of
Rs 12 lakh and Rs one lakh per annum as maintenance for five years, to improve
infrastructure and build resources in schools.
“The State cabinet has
approved the implementation of the scheme. As per the scheme, aided primary
schools imparting primary education in the mother tongue of the child, that is
Konkani and Marathi, will be provided special grant of Rs 400 per student per
month for ten months in a year,” Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said.
Against the backdrop of the agitation
by Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) demanding that the mother tongue
should be the MoI in elementary education, the chief minister said the government’s
policy has been to promote primary education in the mother tongue so that children
absorb knowledge faster and understand the fundamentals.
“This can be achieved better
and faster if the young mind is not burdened with the dual task of learning a
new language and understanding the fundamentals of science and maths in that
language,” Parsekar said.
The scheme will benefit
nearly 16,378 students in 122 schools – 93 Marathi and 29 Konkani schools. “The
financial burden would be around Rs 6.56 crore annually,” he said.
