Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant unveiled new initiatives to simplify education and boost skill development in the state. He instructed the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) to affiliate at least one school in each taluka for external studies and board examinations for Classes X and XII. The CM emphasized that exam procedures should be made simpler and fees capped at Rs 1,000.
Sawant stressed that students failing Std 8 should still have the opportunity to complete their SSC exams, ensuring no student is left behind. Under the revised rules, students completing a two-year ITI course after Std 8 will be considered SSC graduates, while a two-year ITI after SSC will be equivalent to HSSC. These qualifications will make students eligible for jobs in both government and private sectors. “Proper skills can open doors even without a college degree,” he noted.
Speaking at Porvorim during the inauguration of the visually enhanced GBSHSE premises on the Board’s Golden Jubilee, Sawant praised Goa for successfully implementing the New Education Policy. He urged teachers to identify and nurture students’ talents and build their confidence for competitive exams.
The Chief Minister also encouraged local artists to contribute to government building projects, citing the Board’s own initiative of using art teachers for interior artwork, which reduces consultancy costs.
