Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jun 23: The Centre has asked Goa to conduct a detailed analysis of declining enrolment in government schools and take corrective measures to restore public confidence in the government education system.
During a review of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in Goa last month, the Project Approval Board (PAB) noted that the state was not “optimally utilising” its government schools despite them forming more than half of all schools in the state.
According to the Union Education Ministry, government schools account for 52.7 per cent of Goa’s 1,479 schools, with 780 institutions, but enrol only 41,217 students out of the total 3,00,546 students in the state.
In comparison, aided schools account for the majority of student enrolment, with 2,18,183 students or 72.6 per cent of the total, while also having 62.3 per cent of the state’s teachers.
The review highlighted the issue of low enrolment in government primary schools. Around 433 schools, or nearly 67 per cent of government primary schools, have fewer than 30 students, while 210 schools have fewer than 15 students.
The Centre also advised Goa to rationalise teacher deployment and improve utilisation of school resources. The number of single-teacher schools, however, has reduced significantly from 233 in 2023-24 to 57 in 2024-25.
The PAB noted that government schools in Goa have achieved substantial progress in basic infrastructure facilities, including electricity, drinking water, toilets, handwashing facilities and libraries.
However, it stressed that the focus should now move towards improving quality, accessibility, functionality and regular maintenance to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment.
The review found that 89.1 per cent of government schools have internet connectivity, 96.5 per cent have playground facilities, 83.8 per cent have boundary walls and 92.7 per cent have ramps for students with special needs.
The Centre also flagged gaps in digital infrastructure. As per UDISE+ 2024-25 data, among 132 eligible government schools, only 52 schools (39.4 per cent) had ICT labs, while 81 schools (61.4 per cent) had smart classrooms.
The Goa government informed the Centre that the data had not been updated correctly and that the revised status would be reflected in the UDISE+ 2025-26 records.