Will take over Chowgules if it closes down: CM

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 21 March 2013 17:18 IST

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar categorically assured in the House today that the government will take over Chowgule Higher Secondary School, if the management decides to close it down.

In a written reply also, Parrikar told Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardesai that the management request to close down the higher secondary section has been rejected by writing them a letter on 8 March.

Earlier, the chief minister in a meeting held with the management on 30 May last year had reached a temporary agreement that the management of Chowgule Education Society would not admit students for Std XI from the coming academic year.

Parrikar, as per the minutes supplied by the education department, had assured to find a solution within six months.

As per these minutes signed by Chowgule college principal R V Gaonkar, the meeting had also decided to continue with Std XII for yet another academic year, after which the higher secondary section would be permanently closed down.

While students would be diverted by permitting to open more divisions or schools in Margao, the chief minister had also agreed to accommodate the teaching and non-teaching staff in the adjoining schools.

The higher secondary has 45 staff members. But the management now intends to run Std XII classes with only six full time and eight part time teachers, to teach 194 students of Science and Arts streams.

However, when Sardesai raised the issue in the Assembly today, Parrikar said the government has turned down the request to close it down.

He also assured the House that the Advocate General would request the high court to dispose of the pending case before the new academic year starts.

Besides the teaching faculty, the past students of the Chowgule college had started a movement against the closure when the CES announced its decision to close down the higher secondary section, running with government support since 1975.

The CES has taken a stand that it would continue its social responsibility by opening professional courses rather than running a higher secondary schools and the same infrastructure would be utilized for better educational facilities.

Chowgule college (and then the higher secondary) has been a premier educational institution in South Goa and most of the South-based MLAs have also passed out from this institution.


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