Goa, seen to have a mix of strong potential and sharp challenges Goanet News
PANJIM (Goa), Jan 10: Goa, India's smallest state, has a mix of strong potential and sharp challenges, and it's important for citizens to seize the moment rather than just waiting for things to happen, Goa Knowledge Commission chairperson Professor Peter Ronald deSouza said here. Weeks away from finalising its report, Souza called on citizens to realise opportunities available, and also pointed to the many problem areas that came up in terms of making this region invest more efficiently in its human resources. Souza, currently co-director of the Lokniti programme at New Delhi's Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), taught at Goa University's political science department for a decade-and-half. Souza said a range of people had been invited to participate in the working of the Knowledge Commission, and specialists were asked to submit notes on certain topics. Its website is at http://www.knowledgeforgoa.com "If Goa is to be a robust part of the knowledge economy, we have to find such a public imagination that is a reservoir from which the solutions and ideas emerge," he said. Saying knowledge workers would become key drivers of the global economy, Souza argued that Goa needed to "move up the knowledge chain" and send out more skilled workers, instead of poorly-trained ones. "Goa's economy -- going by unofficial figures of the Finance Department, is growing by 14%. That is producing a huge expansion of the middle class here," he argued. Referring to protests over land rackets in Goa, he said: "The Save Goa movement is not just a corruption of the political system, which is a huge driver. It also got to be seen in economic sense, and the rise of the middle class expansion." Stressing for higher investments in education, Souza was critical of the Centre passing onto the States the responsibility of making primary education compulsory. OPPORTUNITY, INERTIA: "There is great opportunity for Goa. Goa has everything going for it. It is well located. It has a brand image. It is able to run institutions. But... Goa also has inertia. Even if there is a great opportunity, one doesn't find the opportunity being taken. There is an imagination deficit. We have to blame ourselves," said Souza. "If an opportunity is not subjectively perceived, it's not an opportunity. With our advantages, we could have converted Goa into a knowledge destination. But we (at the Knowledge Commission) are not recommending that for the moment," he said. He called on all stake-holders -- including managements and students -- to "get a sense of this capacity". "In Goa, we need to have a champion willing to take ideas forward. There is already a group of people willing to build, in Goa itself, a maritime university," said Souza. He noted that Goa used to be called the pharma capital of India. Out of an annual production of Rs 2800 crores in the pharmaceutical sector, a production of Rs 280 crore came from tiny Goa, which just forms 1% of India's size. "Goa had the first pharmaceutical college in Asia. Yet, for the last eight years, we have been unable to improve this college. It is in a terrible situation. (Pharma companies like) Ranbaxy moved from Goa to Himachal Pradesh," he said. Pointing to the mis-match in education, Souza pointed out that Goa had spent Rs 80 crores on distributing computers and IT hardware to students under schemes like the Cyberage scheme. PRE-ICT MINDSET: But, he noted, the educational authorities in Goa lacked their own websites. Said he: "We have a pre-ICT (information and communication technology) mindset, and are trying to enter the ICT age. We bring the equipment into the system, but the mindset remains." Souza was critical of "vested interests" in the educational system. "School buildings in Goa are in a terrible state. 40% of schools do not have the basic amenities," he admitted. He called for an audit of educational investment, the diversification of the university, better incentives for teachers, and building alumni institutions to support local institutions. "Our Commission found to its dismay that many schools have become teaching-shops. It might make sense to have a five-day week, with seven hours each day, instead of working five hours on six days a week," he said. He suggested schools could better use already available sports infrastructure in their vicinity, rather than trying to bring new grounds. "Goa has the best spread of schools for any place in India. But these are used for just half a day. Maybe we can use schools as educational hubs offering services like internet cafes, kiosks," he suggested. Souza supported the idea of village libraries, and recognition for rural knowledge. "With very little investment can produce a maths and statistical institute. We must also build up skills on the social science and humanities side," he added. FROM LEISURE, TO EDUCATION: He said optimistically: "Goa has already become the leisure capital of the country. Perhaps it will become the educational capital also." Souza pointed out that people from Goa had been "very prominent" in the media landscape." He suggested media education, focussing on fields like music, and seeing how Goans could once more play a role in the field of music. "Our Knowledge Commission can only recommend. We have no authority (to enforce decisions). By next month we will send in a report, and put it out on our website," he said. "If it's possible to produce a public debate, then we could think about producing a public imagination (on these issues)," Souza said, and called on those now overseas and who had benefitted from education here and now abroad to "pay your debt, not just lament the state of Goa, and be free-riders". (***) _______________________________________________ Goanet-news mailing list Goanet-news@lists.goanet.org http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-news-goanet.org