Education minister Atanasio Monserrate told TOI that henceforth pre-primary schools would have to seek permission from the directorate of education before starting operations. The directorate of education is working on the details, which involved designing a common curriculum for all pre-primary schools in Goa, Monserrate said. Among the problems faced by these schools were poor salaries to the staff, who were sometimes ill-trained for the job.
The cabinet has also agreed to allow aided primary schools to employ one lower division clerk and one peon on a regular basis. It has also approved the hiring of 89 clerks and peons on contract basis for primary schools with a strength between 100 and 250 students.
In another decision, the cabinet agreed to waive off loans amounting to about Rs 15 lakh given to 94 cottage industries in Goa. The loans were given in the late 60s and early 70s, had gone bad and become non-recoverable. The industries department had moved a cabinet note asking the government to waive off those loans and the cabinet approval to that request came on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Congress legislature party (CLP) also met on Tuesday afternoon. CLP spokesperson and deputy speaker Mauvin Godinho said, “We discussed strategies for the assembly session, issues on which MLAs will speak and generally how to handle things as smoothly as possible.” The assembly session begins on February 2, 2009.
Godinho said emphasis has also been laid on the need for the government to put its achievements before the people of the state. In this regard, the CLP will meet with the party organisation more frequently, especially in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
When asked if the Congress legislature had reiterated the Congress demand to contest both Lok Sabha seats in Goa, Godinho said the decision was taken at an earlier joint meeting of the Goa Pradesh Congress committee and the CLP. “That sentiment to contest both seats was also expressed today. There is no diluting that fact,” Godinho said.
COurtsy: timesofindia
