Goa (India) : Higher education funds to trebel; Institute for Research in Konkani Language and Literature to be set up

[Harold Schiffman]

*Higher education funds to treble*

*by RAMNATH RAIKAR*

Principal Correspondent PANAJI — The draft Goa State Integrated Education
Policy, 2008 presented to the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat by state
Integrated Education Advisory Council, earlier this month recommends that
the government increase the allocation of funds for higher education from
the present 2 per cent to 6 per cent of the state GDP by the year 2010.

The draft policy also recommends a road-map for higher education in the
state, for a period from 2008 to 2013 which includes creation of an
Independent Regulatory Authority for Education (IRAE) in 2008, drafting and
passing of the Higher Education Act as well as setting up of two educational
cities in North and South Goa in 2009, establishment of Institute for Media
Research, Institute for Maritime Studies as well as Institute for Advanced
Studies in Education in 2010. The Policy also recommends setting up of
Institute for Research in Cultural Studies as well as Institute for Research
in Konkani Language and Literature in 2011, establishment of Institute for
Research in Anthropological Studies in 2012 and finally, setting up of
Institute for Bio-medical Research as well as Institute for Environmental
Research in 2013.

The road-map envisages enrollment of 13 per cent of relevant age group in
higher education in 2009, and increases this percentage up to 25 per cent in
2013. The draft policy further recommends vigorous implementation of school
complex scheme through constitution of an independent cell in the
directorate of education. "The government shall constitute IRAE which shall
recommend the opening of new schools and/or divisions. The government shall
encourage the establishment of residential schools and day boarding schools.
The norms of granting additional divisions shall be reviewed. The government
shall explore the possibilities of amalgamating schools with less
enrollment," it adds.

The draft policy prepared with the objectives "to promote knowledge
creation, acquisition and transmission, to nurture and generate the best
human resources for meeting the demands of globalisation and to provide
universal access to qualify school education" among other things, has
currently been forwarded to various stakeholders in the educational sector
for their suggestions. Human resources and creation of knowledge,
excellence, equity, governance and finance are the main components of the
draft policy.

The draft policy, apart from the directorate of education, has further named
Independent Regulatory Authority for Education, Goa State Council for Higher
Education, Goa University, State Council for Educational Research and
Training, Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education and Goa
Education Development Corporation as various educational agencies involved
in the educational exercise.

Linking technical education to creation of much-needed resources with
state-of-art skills, the draft policy recommends that the government
encourage and support the preparatory/ bridge courses to generate
value-added non-degree courses, diplomas, etc. It also recommends that the
government rationalise the technical education opportunities by distributing
them across the state as well as balance the special training centres
equitably.

Stating that the medium of instruction shall be the mother tongue up to
primary level, as envisaged in the National Policy of Education (NPE), and
the state shall follow the existing pattern of language study at all other
stages of education, the draft policy maintains, "The curriculum and the
syllabi shall be on the lines of the NPE and National Curriculum Framework
as prepared by the NCERT."

"However, local component to the extent of 100 per cent in languages and
environmental studies for primary classes, and to the extent of about 30 per
cent in languages, science and social sciences in upper primary classes,
shall be added and accordingly, the text books shall be prepared," the draft
policy recommends, adding, "The government desires that the curriculum and
the syllabi should be revised frequently and upgraded; in some disciplines,
the revision may take place every year, but as a norm, all syllabi should be
revised and upgraded every 3 years, with the involvement of experts from the
corporate world."

As regards the educational infrastructure the draft policy states, "In order
to attract students and stop the flow of students outside Goa, a world class
infrastructure is essential." It further observes, "The government is
providing infrastructural loan without interest and grant which will be
enhanced from time to time in order to meet the challenges related to
infrastructure, which include classrooms, libraries, laboratories, sports
facilities, auditoriums, etc."
The draft policy also recommends that the government facilitate equivalence
and collaborative academic programmes between state technical institutions
and national institutions of repute such as IITs, IIScs, etc. It finally
recommends generation of new financial grants/packages/offers to the faculty
and also to the students of higher education, with some of the ongoing
incentives continuing. "The Goa State Integrated Education Policy may be
reviewed in not less than five years, after its official notification," the
draft policy maintains.

http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=062313

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