300 pre-primary schools under DoE ambit from June TNN | Mar 13, 2012, 03.46AM IST
PANAJI: Pre-primary schools have become an integral part of Goa's education system for long and it has become a common practice to admit a child to a nursery school before he or she begins formal education. Yet, pre-primary schools have remained outside the directorate of education's (DoE) ambit so far. Functioning of the schools is finally set to be regularized when the new academic year begins. "Over 300 pre-primary schools are registered with us now. From the new academic year, they will be issued letters stating that they have registered with the DoE and it will be made mandatory for the schools to put up these letters prominently on their notice boards," director of education Anil Powar said. He said this will help parents identify pre-primary schools at the time of admissions, which have been verified as providing the basic facilities necessary. "A uniform syllabus will also be brought into force for these schools," Powar said. The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has prepared a syllabus which will ensure that only the play-way method is used to impart education in the registered pre-primary schools. Goa has one of the highest percentages of children entering a pre-primary school before being admitted to Class I, after states like Meghalaya, Nagaland, Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh, Pondicherry and Sikkim. Close to 24% of children in Goa attend a pre-primary school before they begin formal education, according to statistics of the human resource development ministry. For close to four years, the state government has struggled to bring pre-primary schools under its umbrella as the institutions do not get any government funds. Year after year, the DoE's call for registration met with poor response, as it meant no benefits from the state for the schools but added their responsibility of providing basic facilities recommended by the state and implementation of the prescribed syllabus. The over-300 primary schools have registered with DoE after a three-year-long exercise. The DoE sought to regularize the functioning of preprimary schools after such institutions were seen mushrooming at every nook and corner, very often operating from dingy apartments with no facilities available for the creative development of the child. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/300-pre-primary-schools-under-DoE-ambit-from-June/articleshow/12240785.cms --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------