SANGUEM
While the State government has been preoccupied with ensuring facilities to the IIT proposed at Cotarli-Sanguem, it appears to have forgotten about ensuring facilities to another educational institution in another part of Sanguem.
How else does one explain the plight of the Government Primary School (GPS) at Valkini Colony No. 1 in Uguem-Sanguem, which has been functioning without a teacher for over 12 days.
Well, how can the school function if there is no teacher?
This may seem a logical question and there is where the situation becomes ever more peculiar.
Believe it or not, a local youth from the village has become a de facto teacher and has begun taking classes at the school for the last three days and that too, for free.
As fate would have it, Premanand Rekdo had completed his Diploma in Education but has been jobless after having obtained his diploma.
Moved by the plight of 18-odd students in the school, Rekdo readily accepted the request of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and agreed to take on the responsibility of conducting classes till the government appoints a regular teacher at the village school.
One retires, another reluctant
According to locals, the teacher’s post at the GPS has been lying vacant since August 31, following the retirement of the regular teacher at the school, which has 18 students in Classes 1-3. There are no students in Class 4.
When no replacement teacher was sent to the school, the retired teacher conducted classes for around a week and then stopped coming to school, leaving the school without a teacher.
When contacted, Sanguem ADEI Sitaram Naik said his department had issued orders to a teacher teaching at Government School Wadem to take up the posting at the Valkini school as no new teacher was available.
The teacher concerned, however, did not take up the new appointment and continued teaching at the Wadem school, leaving the students at GPS in Valkini-Uguem without a teacher.
“My office reported the matter to the higher ups. It is now left up to higher authorities to take appropriate action against the teacher concerned,” said Naik.
In the absence of a teacher, the school was looked after by two subordinate staff members, who took upon the responsibility to supply mid-day meals to students. For the rest of the school hours, the students were found playing in the school premises.
PTA resorts to novel solution
Unhappy with the situation, the PTA members got together and informed the ADEI that they would ask a local youth to teach the students as the department had failed in its job to provide a replacement teacher to the Valkini school.
Since the last three days, Rekdo has been conducting classes and his service has been widely appreciated by parents and locals in the village.
“Rekdo has to be applauded for taking up the responsibility despite there being no monetary compensation,” acknowledged a grateful parent.
When contacted, Rekdo told The Goan that he hails from the village and had also studied at the same primary school.
“As a result, it has been my privilege to teach our village children. It is a pity that the government has not taken the issue of education seriously. I have taken the responsibility only in the best interest of the village children so that they could learn something. I have no other expectations,” said Rekdo.
During recess, Rekdo is also seen supervising students while they have their mid-day meal, much like a dedicated employee of the school.
While praising Rekdo for his selfless service, the PTA has appealed to authorities to either appoint a regular teacher at the school at the earliest or to provide employment to Rekdo at the school if they don’t find a teacher.
