Too many schools threaten to
wreck Goa's education set-up
Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panjim
Goa, the second most literate state in India, is facing a collapse
of its education set-up. And, ironically, the trouble seems to
be a surplus of schools.
The ongoing state assembly session is busy debating the root of the
malaise. The Opposition and the Teachers Association have squarely
blamed the state Congress government for the situation.
They allege that permissions for building extra schools were granted
to ruling politicians and their friends so that they benefit personally
from the large education outlay.
The growth of unnecessary schools has been more pronounced in
the higher secondary section. Goa, which had about 340 high schools
till 1992-93, covering 187 villages, has now been burdened with
over 400 secondary schools. And the number of higher secondary
schools has zoomed up from 49 to 80 in just four years for a population
of 1.15 million.
The reason seems to be the government decision to change the criterion
of having one higher secondary school within every 14 km to one
within every 8 km.
Several schools soon mushroomed all over the state. Most were
started by politicians or their friends and acquaintances. All
this, critics allege, was done with an eye on the 19 per cent
budgetary allocation the government has made for education alone.
Despite the money involved, many schools continue in old high
school buildings, community halls and even shopping complexes,
allegedly due to political patronage.
Besides filling their coffers by pocketing the education funds,
some school authorities are also accepting 'donations' for appointing
more teachers.
Because of the rapid rise in the number of schools, the number
of students per school has fallen dramatically. In case of higher
secondary schools, the figure has dropped from 424 in 1992-93
to 190 students per school in 1996-97. Yet the teacher-student
ratio has been maintained at 1:18, giving rise to extra teachers
and expenses.
Though the Congress government would like to paint a rosy picture
by touting the high 75 per cent literacy rate, the dropout rate
despite the literacy is shocking: 25.4 per cent in standard VIII
and 52.9 per cent in standard X.
Lack of institutions for training in technical skills has rendered
over 100,000 educated youths unemployed.
At the same time the government has slashed the education budget
from 19 per cent to 14 per cent. And this year's budget proposals
are likely to further reduce the allocation, it is feared.
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