Delhi meeting to discuss Goa’s linguistic deadlock
May 12th, 2011 - 1:07 am ICT by IANSPanaji, May 11 (IANS) Union Minister for Human Resources Development Kapil Sibal will chair a meeting next week to resolve the vexed medium of instruction (MoI) issue in Goa, a state Congress leader said.
Goa Congress chief Subhash Shirodkar told reporters Wednesday that Sibal, along with Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and representatives from the two opposing factions, would discuss the issue in New Delhi May 18.
The deadlock over choosing English or regional languages such as Konkani or Marathi as the medium of instruction (Mo) in primary schools has virtually divided the state Congress unit and the ruling coalition parties on religious lines.
“We will try and arrive at a conclusion at the Delhi meeting. We will resolve the deadlock,” Shirodkar said.
The language debate in Goa comes against the backdrop of the central Right to Education (RTE) Act, which envisions the child’s mother tongue - in Goa’s case Konkani - as the medium of instruction.
The act is scheduled to be ratified in the state legislative assembly soon.
At present the Goa government offers aid and grants only to schools in which Konkani or Marathi is used as an MOI.
The Forum for Rights of Children’s Education (FORCE), a parent’s front backed by a large section of Catholic politicians and the clergy has backed English as the MOI, while the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM), supported by a section of the freedom fighters and rightwing protagonists, have backed both Konkani and Marathi languages as a medium of instruction.
- Goa's medium of instruction issue takes communal turn - May 24, 2011
- Fissures in Goa coalition over medium of instruction - Mar 26, 2011
- Ramdev backs regional languages over English in schools - Mar 25, 2011
- English, regional languages battle it out in Goa - Mar 23, 2011
- Goa freedom fighters oppose patronage to English - Jun 13, 2011
- Anti-English protestors block highway in Goa - May 27, 2011
- Goa Church backs English as teaching medium - Mar 30, 2011
- Boycott Goa chief minister: Congress ideologue - Jun 14, 2011
- Anti-English protestors threaten Goa shut down Monday - Jun 05, 2011
- Goa wears deserted look due to anti-English bandh - Jun 06, 2011
- Black flags to greet Sonia Gandhi in Goa - Dec 15, 2011
- On-road protests to lend new focus to Goa film fest - Nov 22, 2011
- Roadmap aside, urgent issues await Sonia in Goa - Dec 16, 2011
- English or Konkani: Goa debates on what to use in schools - Mar 20, 2011
- Thousands in Goa demand English as medium of instruction - Mar 21, 2011
Tags: catholic politicians, coalition parties, congress chief, congress leader, freedom fighters, goa congress, goa government, human resources development, kamat, kapil sibal, konkani, labour minister, language debate, marathi languages, mother tongue, regional languages, religious lines, s education, shirodkar, state congress