PANAJI
After over 40 years, Goa’s school education is set for significant overhaul, as the State is set to have a new Goa School Education Act and Rules 2025 paving the way for smoother transition in lines with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The new Act may come into force from Academic Year 2026-27 onwards.
A special Task Force constituted to draft the new Act has submitted ‘The Proposed School Education Act and Rules 2025’ to the Directorate of Education, which suggests key changes to facilitate the transition from the existing system to the new system as proposed in NEP.
Schools in Goa are currently governed under the Goa, Daman and Diu School Education Act 1984 and the Goa Daman and Diu School Education Rules 1986.
Though the NEP has been implemented in the school education in phased manner, the new Act intends to redraw the schooling system on par with NEP on a 5+3+3+4 formula instead of the current 10+2 model. It also proposes to reduce the emphasis on high-stakes board exams at Class X and XII grade. The new Act will also speak about commencement of Academic Year in April across all grades in future, scrapping of No Fail policy, etc.
Highly placed sources confirmed that the draft Act will be first placed before the government for approval, following which it will be kept open for public suggestions and comments. “The final Act and Rules, thereunder, would be notified, taking the stakeholders into confidence. If everything goes well, the Act may come into force in 2026-27 academic term onwards,” sources said.
Sources said that though NEP implementation has commenced in the State, the same needs to be incorporated in the Act and Rules have to be drafted to ensure a smooth shift from the current school structure to the NEP's proposed structures.
The State has already implemented NEP at the foundational stage (Balvatika 1) in 2023-2024, and at Balvatika 2 and secondary stage (Class IX) in 2024-2025 and at middle stage (Class VI) and Class X of secondary stage in 2025-2026. The State intends to complete the NEP implementation by 2030, covering all grades by 2027-28 and thereafter two years for cluster formation and physical restructuring.
Students in the age group of 3-8 years will be part of the foundation stage, 8-11 age group for preparatory schooling, 11-14 years for middle school and 14-18 for secondary level.
