FEST KORTA GAUM PADRE VIGARACHEM NAUM by A. Veronica Fernandes, Kuwait

Medium of Instruction (MOI) was a very hot issue going on in Goa. Instead of handling it by great educationists and professionals in the field of education, this issue was handled by Ladru – Pedru type of politicians whose knowledge on education is nothing but minus zero because they themselves are educationally minus zero even though they bark claiming to be well versed in this subject by falsely inflating their educational qualifications.

We in Goa suffer because of our leaders’ lack of knowledge of the subjects they handle. Most of our Goan political leaders holding portfolios in the Cabinet are unfit professionally to handle their portfolios because they lack proper knowledge of their portfolios. There is a saying in Konkani 'KHARVEANK NHOI KHUIM GHORVAM ANI RENDRANK NHOI KHUIM TARVAM". This is what is happening in Goa. What is the medical background and education of Jr. Rane to entrust him with the Hea lth portfolio? What is the educational qualification of Babush Musarad to give him the Education portfolio? ‘Kharveank nhoi khuim ghorvam ani Rendrank nhoi khuim Tarvam’. They will make mess of everything and in the bargain innocent people will suffer.

Goa Government does not give grant for English Schools imparting primary education in English but only in regional languages, namely official language Konkani and associate language Marathi. What grant Goa Government gives is not from its own pocket nor from the Ministers’ pockets. The grant Goa Government gives to Schools is not of their "BAPAICHO FATH". The grant Goa Government gives to schools is from the pockets of Goan taxpayers and since it is so, the Goan tax payers have got all the rights to demand grants even for the instruction imparted at primary level in English as well. Awakened by their sense to fight for their rights, thousands of parents of the students studying at primary level in Goan English schools c ongregated recently at Azad Maidan, Panaji, to demand grants for English schools imparting education at primary level in English as well. They even threatened the Goa Government to defeat it in the next general election. Moreover,some individuals from Anjuna village even filed a petition in the court to force the Goa Government to release grants even to those schools imparting primary education in English also and in all likelihood the court was to give its verdict in favour of English as well.

Sensing the mood of the people demanding grant for English medium as well and the likely favourable court verdict too, Goa Government took a decision to give grant to schools imparting primary education in English as well besides Konkani and Marathi. The moment this decision was declared some Marathi protagonists with some Nagri Konknni elements raised hue and cry against this decision of Goa Government while pro English MOI supporters hailed this decision. Since I was in Goa l ast week to feel the pulse of both the factions of Goan populace from close angle, overwhelming majority of Goans are happy with the decision of the Goa Government.

Surprisingly some people including those politicians who were earlier opposing grant for English are taking false credit for the latest decision of Goa Government. According to Dr. Wilfred D’Souza who gave a live interview to one TV Channel in Goa, Churchill Alemao got no right to take the credit for this decision of Goa Government because in the past Churchill Alemao and Mauwin Godinho supported Tai Shashikala Kakodkar to deny grant for schools imparting primary education in English as well. Dr. Wilfred said Goa Government was forced to change its stand on this subject by the court case filed by the people from Anjuna and the organisation that came into being to fight against Goa Government for denying grant for English Medium schools. In view of this, Dr. Wilfred D'Souza asked, "where is the question fo r Churchill Alemao to take credit for himself?"

Now my question is after listening to the TV interview of Dr. Wilfred D'Soza, "Who is fooling whom? Who is lying whom? Are Goans so backward to accept the lying and fooling of the politicians?" It looks like "FEST KORTA GHAUM ANI PE. VIGARACHEM NAUM".