24 government primary schools shut in 2017-18

PANAJI: The epidemic afflicting government primary schools in Goa continues as 24 more have shut down during 2017-18, as per the directorate of education’s (DoE) report for the academic session that ended on April 30. Of the 24 government primary schools that had to shut down, 22 are Marathi-medium institutes, while one each of Konkani and Hindi medium schools have shut.

The academic year 2017-18 had opened with 781 government primary schools, the number was down to 757 at the end of 11 months, for want of students.There appear to be no takers for government primary schools even though the enrolment across all schools in Goa for Class I increased by around 300 students as against the previous academic session 2016-17.
Meghana Shetgaonkar, deputy director of education, said that several low enrolment government primary schools have been saved from being shut down by amalgamating the students and teachers at the schools with neighbourhood ones. “This year, we have a proposal from three government primary schools, which had earlier shut due to low enrolment, to be reopened as they see sufficient students now in the neighbourhood to enrol in them.”
Data points to an ongoing migration of students to aided institutes. Educationists have maintained that it is a problem of perception that privately-managed institutes offer better quality of education and infrastructure.
But, the state government, too, as a policy provides facilities like the Balrath buses to aided institutes, which are not on offer to government primary schools.
Now the number of government primary schools to have shut down since 2013-14 has gone up to 137. One the other hand, the number of government-aided schools has remained constant at 400 over the last few years.
In a bid to improve the conditions of government schools, the state has spent over Rs 58 crore already for repair and upgradation of their buildings, along with carrying out plumbing and electrical works. But, according to state documents, government schools are given priority for repair, maintenance and upgradation work, based on the student strength, urgency of repairs required, and condition of schools provided by the directorate of education.
The criteria of student strength to give priority for repairs further puts low enrolment schools at a disadvantage.
Another 300-odd government primary schools could be heading towards closure with fewer than 20 students enrolled in them from Class I to IV.
However, in talukas that are largely rural, government primary schools actually saw their enrolment go up in 2017-18. Government elementary schools in Pernem, Bicholim, Sanguem, Dharbandora and Canacona recorded an increase in student numbers. Canacona and Quepem were also among the few regions where no new government primary schools had to close during 2017-18. Government primary schools are finding a preference mainly in remote areas, where privately-managed schools on offer are few in many cases.
Salcete, Tiswadi and Ponda talukas are seeing their schools shut down at a rapid pace. Since 2013-14, Ponda has seen 27 of its schools shut down, followed by 21 in Salcete and 14 in Tiswadi.