The CM said that the final decision would be taken by Saturday after speaking to all stakeholders.
While we understand that the Task Force, which has taken the decision and comprises experts, may have reached the decision weighing all pros and cons, one wonders what prompted the Chief Minister to rubbish Dr Salkar’s statement?
The school’s resumption has to be given priority. We cannot play with the future of the students like this.
All this while CM said the Task Force would take a decision. So what happened overnight? The Task Force has given a decision now why do you want to sleep over it?
The CM says that 500 students will converge at one point, and it would be difficult to manage social distancing.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
On Tuesday, the State government-appointed Tas Force recommended re-opening schools from Standard I to Standard VIIIth from November post COVID19 pandemic, but the final decision has to be taken by the State government and the Education Department.
Within hours of Dr Shekhar Salkar informing the media, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant was quick to clarify that no decision has been reached so far.
The CM said that the final decision would be taken by Saturday after speaking to all stakeholders.
While we understand that the Task Force, which has taken the decision and comprises experts, may have reached the decision weighing all pros and cons, one wonders what prompted the Chief Minister to rubbish Dr Salkar’s statement?
The school’s resumption has to be given priority. We cannot play with the future of the students like this.
All this while CM said the Task Force would take a decision. So what happened overnight? The Task Force has given a decision now. Why do you want to sleep over it till Saturday?
If you decide on Saturday, can schools start on Monday? Insane, isn’t it? The parents are not you puppets to run everywhere. There are preparations needed for students to be sent to schools.
The CM says that 500 students will converge at one point, and it would be difficult to manage social distancing.
We wish to ask the CM if there is any social distancing, mask anywhere in markets or tourist places? Is anyone following SOPs now?
Till when are you going to keep students away from school?
We all agreed when the government decided to restart tourism, and so also casinos, but what is baffling is no consideration has been given to the restart of schools.
It has been almost 20 months since the children have not seen schools, which can catastrophically affect their future.
While our present is in a mess, we cannot allow our future to suffer.
Needless to say, the Online Classes in Goa has been a disaster till now, and the government has failed to provide proper network connectivity even 20 months after the pandemic struck.
The CM allowed higher education classes to start offline; that is fine as those students are above 18 and may have taken at least one dose, but what about the primary, secondary and higher secondary.
The classes of students of SSC and HSSC have started, and that is a great development. As these students are at the crossroads where they have to decide for their future, the way their results are out in 2020 and 2021 with 99 p.c passing is a worrisome issue.
Agreed, unless the vaccines for the below 18 arrives, the government cannot do much to restart the offline classes from primary to Standard 8th, but why invite more trouble.
The weightage has to be given for starting schools against economy or tourism.
Inviting international tourists at this juncture will be inviting more trouble.
We agree, CM’s decisions have solved the economic issues and bailout businesses, which is mandatory at this stage.
But why was the government sleeping on school issues? Why the diktat has not been issued to telecom operators to beef up their infrastructure?
We see rural students walking kilometres into the forests, risking their lives to take online classes. Why does the CM not think of them before restarting tourism?
Whatever decision CM takes has to be well studied and not as per whims and fancies of some brainless advisors.
He needs to understand that for a better today, we cannot destroy Goa’s future.
