[Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Soter writes 'Though Konkani is my mother tongue, the Roman script (not Devanagiri) is my mother script. Therefore, I strongly condemn the Government's imposition of only devanagiri script for the Konkani language in education.' Comment: I think you must try and get Roman script or any other script for Konkani included in 8th Schedule. And should you not do this, Devanagiri script will continue to be officially accepted script for Konkani in Goa. MP cannot do anything, but Sonia Gandi can! Ask Shataram Naik and Francisco Sardinha to influence Sonia Gandi and get Roman script included in 8th schedule. Until then forget about human rights and all other rights associated in this regards. Best regards, U. G. Barad
[Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Soter, MP's decision on the MoI is like a double-edged sword. If he is ultimately able to find a viable solution, he would grow in stature. However, the present decision is like a damocles sword hanging over the heads of diocesan schools. Grants have not been sanctioned to these schools on permanent basis. Only the status quo continues. Hence, the Church will be made to toe the line or else. Also I am highly sceptical of the committee of academics which is being formed to look into this issue. There are no academics involved at all. It is a simple policy matter - whether to accept the demand from a large number of parents and schools to teach in the English medium and avail of government grants as is being given to vernacular schools.Period. Regards, Marshall
[Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Dear Marshall, Must read Gomantak Times edit today on how temporary decision on MoI is claimed to be a fulfilment of the MP's promise within 100 days in office. My copy of the election manifesto gives the impression of a permanent solution. Now 100 days is too little a time to judge Parrikar. Next 12 months will be too little. Below is the contradiction of MP in today's Herald. Keep Goa hanging, divided and vulnerable to arm twisting for political gains. Now is the hint about introducing exam in Konkani to enter high school to compel one to learn Hindu brahminical konkani or deprive you of benefits. Grants to English school is administrative decision: CM http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=5659boxid=41622796uid=dat=6/21/2012 Most disgusting is the bankruptcy of so claimed luminaries and intelligensia in Goa. Below in my letter published in Herald Talibanisation of Goa The edit Who Needs to Get Well (Herald, June 18, 2012) is apt for the occasion. The imposition of Konkani in the devanagiri script as a medium of instruction is a violation of human rights. Though Konkani is my mother tongue, the Roman script (not Devanagiri) is my mother script. Therefore, I strongly condemn the Government’s imposition of only devanagiri script for the Konkani language in education. For centuries, several Goan Catholics have been using the Roman script for the Konkani language, for religious, social and cultural purposes. This historical fact and human rights cannot be denied merely on the demands from some quarters, or failure by the Government to recognize the Roman script for the official language of the State. The Goan Catholics are no lesser citizens of India and not less patriotic than those who use the devanagiri script. The talibanisation of Goa cannot be accepted. The Goa Government needs to counsel its misguided ministers and their associates about the need to respect the rights of fellow citizens. Soter D’Souza, Socorro http://www.heraldgoa.in/newscategory/Letters/13 -- - Soter
[Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly? (Tony D'Sa)
Dear Tony, I was most impressed by your letter re instruction and learning. In your opinion and experience in these matters, which school would you recommend in Goa? I am looking for a school which emphasises learning with a liberal bent. Take care, selma
[Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Message: 10 Selma I was most impressed by your letter re instruction and learning. In your opinion and experience in these matters, which school would you recommend in Goa? I am looking for a school which emphasises learning with a liberal bent. Dear Selma, Per se, I wouldn't recommend any school in Goa for the objectives you have in mind. Most of the schools in Goa revolve round the Board they are affiliated to and getting through the exams is a be all and end all of the schools. The competition in pass percentages is fierce. Schools are not judged by the quality of student but rather by the pass percentage. In the 70's, there was a school in Calangute called Happy Learners which was started by a breakaway group of teachers from Don Bosco Calangute. Some of them were Adv. Jos Peter D'Souza, Alexyz Fernandes, Valentino (Dingo) D'Souza, Juliet D'Souza and others. This school was totally student oriented and the approach used was heuristic in nature i.e. the students learned by experimentation. The student learned what he or she wanted and when he or she wanted. Unfortunately, there were very few takers for a school of this type since the costs of running the institution were enormous in comparison to the amount of fees collected. Also there was a problem of certification. At some stage, these students would have to join the mainstream students and that is where they were disadvantaged since the school was not a recognized school. There is a serious group of parents who are doing home schooling for their children specially for some of those who are gifted and also for autistic children. I would recommend this approach. Bye and take care Tony -- ** Tony de Sa tonydesa at gmail dot com **
Re: [Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Floriano Lobo: Amilcar Da Costa and Tony De Sa must be able to differentiate between Learning and being instructed. At Primary School Level, kids are instructed. They start learning at the Secondary level, college level, university leve professional level what have you..where they have their entire lifetime to learn. T d S: LOLs. After being 'instructed' the kids have to LEARN. Learning is a life time process and does not begin in school but rather from the birth of the individual to that individuals death - to put it poetically from 'womb to tomb'. From where have you got this notion that kids start learning at Secondary level onwards? Rather than venture into the field of Education of which you haven't a single qualification so to justify what you speak about, I would rather you stuck to radio waves and cell phone towers wherein you have expertise. FL: Do the Japanese, Chinese, European Countries, South America the world over learn English at the Primary levels? Before you people start talking, you must undertand what is learning and what is being instructed Example. Can you instruct a kid who does not know a word of ENGLISH in English the language??? First, you have to teach the kid the language so he understands. Whereas you can teach the kid English, French, Marathi, Urdu, German or whatever. But can you instruct the kid in these languages?? T d S: a) At the Goethe Institutes, for instance, of which there are several in India (Pune, Bangalore, Delhi,...) where they teach German in a residential course, whether you know German or not you are forced to speak Gernan from the time you enter the institute for the course. Yes a kid who does not know a word of ENGLISH can be taught in the English language. You your self are a product of such a system. b) Not having been to Japan, China and other European countries, I do not know what they learn at primary level, but I will point out that you can study in these countries in these languages from KG to Ph. D in whatever discipline you want. Moreover, your prospects of getting employment in your own country are very high. You can do that to a certain extent in Marathi. But in Konkani? At the most a Ph. D in Konkani itself. Then what happens if you want a Ph, D. or Masters Degree or Bachelors Degree in a discipline like nuclear science in Konkani? Does Konkani have the words (vocabulary) for it? c) I do not know how you differentiate between teaching and instruction - to me these are synonymous terms. But you could always explain. d) I thought your field of specialization is Radio communications but suddenly you have become a pedagogue. As such please throw more light on Before you people start talking, you must undertand what is learning and what is being instructed Is it some new bizarre theory of learning or perhaps a bazaari one? I would like to learn by being instructed by you. e) As a parting shot, I would like to add that learning is about internalizing concepts. Language is merely a vehicle which allows us to internalize concepts. In all this, the child for whom all this is supposed to be done is totally ignored. Children have amazing capabilities to learn. Take an NRG kid in Africa. He speaks English at home, Swahili or Xhosa or Afrikaans on the street, probably speaks Gujerati to his friends, and may be if his parents insist, a bit of Konkani at home. I know, I spoke English (to my parents and Goan friends), Swahili to the world at large on the street and even learnt it at school, Gujerati to my Gujju friends, Hindi (a second language). Just because adults cannot do it doesn't mean that children cannot. Take computers, its the adults who have to struggle with them. Kids take to them like ducks to water. FL: I would appreciate the answers from these two esteemed experts. Please. T d S: Though I am a professional teacher with approximately thirty eight and a half years experience and have learnt my craft at the hands of some very great teachers, have attended countless seminars and refresher courses and having been a Resource Person at some of these my self, I don't consider my self an 'expert' In the teaching profession you are an eternal student. So I am a student and if you have something to teach me, I am prepared to learn, except if it is KRAPP. -- ** Tony de Sa tonydesa at gmail dot com **
Re: [Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Language issue: Thanks to Mr. Tony de Sa for supporting my position on the language issue. Having read the clear message from Mr. Floriano Lobo, where I can see a clear split between instruction addressed in primary schools and learning addressed in secondary schools, I can agree that in primary schools the children are instructed in their mother tongue. However, my reaction was addressed to a text which did not differentiate the two and just referred to teaching in schools. The situation is now clear to me. Many thanks Amilcar da Costa dacosta.amilcar at yahoo.com
Re: [Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Language issue: I have difficulties to understand the discussion and exchanges concerning the languages to be taught in the schools in Goa. Some speak about the importance of the universal pedagogical principle of educating children in their native language. I think there should be an amendment to their way of seeing things. I think that concept could be applied hundreds of years ago when people did not move out of their little villages. I think, in a modern world that we are living in, it would be a tragedy for the children in Goa and elsewhere in India, if that concept is still applied. We should not forget that if India is where it is now, it is to a large extent because people in India speak English. I do not see a problem if the children go to school and do their studies in their mother's tougue. However, it is important for the current generation to learn English too. Working in an environment where representatives of 27 EU Member States and more participate in meetings, I can tell you that those who have problems to express themselves in English fail each time to achieve their aims. The failure is mainly because of their ignorance of the English language. We should also not forget that many thousands of people in India are subcontracted by foreign companies to respond to international enquiries, just because of their knowledge of English. If any Goan living in a country outside India supports the idea that Konkani and Marathi are enough to live in the modern world, then I have a problem to understand them. My first question to them is: Are you using Konkani or Marathi in your work? People in Goa should know that we are living in a modern world and consequently think in world terms and not village terms. Goa is trying to expand its tourism potential? Is it addressed to Indian tourists or to foreign tourists? Who brings in foreign currency? Those speaking Konkani and Marathi or those speaking English? Moreover, India is wellknown for its know-how in IT. Is the language used Konkani, Marathi or English? We need to think of the future of our children and guide them in the right direction and I do not think that Konkani and Marathi will be sufficient to make them successful . I hope that those who will decide on the languages to be taught in the Goan schools, will be bright enough to take the right decisions. Amilca da Costa Belgium dacosta.amilcar at yahoo.com
[Goanet] MoI - After one week of praises comes the statesmanly googly?
Decision on medium of instruction is temporary: CM TNN | Jun 16, 2012, 01.34AM IST PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar said that the challenge on the medium of instruction (MOI) issue is not over for him, as educationally it is an important issue and the present decision is temporary. Recalling the challenge in trying to sort out the issue, he told reporters that an academic authority will be set up in a week's time to sort out the issue in the context of Section 29 (2) of the RTE Act, 2009. Section 29 (2) states that the medium of instruction shall, as far as practicable, be in child's mother tongue. The education sector was a disturbing one for a year due to the MOI issue, said the chief minister, who also holds the education portfolio. While pointing out that the run-up to drafting a decision on MoI was hectic, Parrikar said, I had to consult people of diverse views. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Decision-on-medium-of-instruction-is-temporary-CM/articleshow/14159134.cms
