Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Apr 30: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, at the ‘Kalagurujan’ edu-cultural festival organized by the Higher Secondary Teachers Association of Goa (HISTAG), announced that teachers suffering from terminal illnesses will be granted medical leave. A circular will be issued soon after discussions with the State Secretary and Director of Education.

Sawant also addressed concerns about AI replacing teachers, reassuring them that while AI won't take over teaching jobs, educators must upgrade their skills to offer quality education. He emphasized the importance of guiding students toward the right career choices and adapting to new educational approaches.

On Goa’s tourism sector, Sawant encouraged Goan students to pursue apprenticeships instead of focusing solely on government jobs. He also welcomed the government's decision to start the academic year in April, which aligns with the CBSE and ICSE boards, allowing more time for revision.

Secretary of Education, Prasad Lolayekar, shared plans to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 through school clustering for better administrative management. He also mentioned that teacher training in Goa would be completed by 2030 through partnerships with top institutes.

Lolayekar further discussed the potential retention of the No Detention Policy with competency checks for students at Grades 5 and 8. The State also plans to adopt common question papers set by the SCERT board to maintain uniformity across schools.