Parrikar keeps 2017 promise for education sector

PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday proved that his priorities in case of the education sector have remained constant since 2017.
Announcing a budget of Rs 2,445 crore for the education sector, Parrikar, who also holds the education portfolio, said that the entire education system in the state would be revamped. The aim, he said, was to resolve the state’s employment issues by creating self-employment and enterprenuership.

This is in keeping with the line Parrikar had taken at last year’s budget.

“The government has laid stress on generating local employment for which total provisions of Rs 548.89 crore in the sectors of industry, labour and employment and information technology. While making these provisions, I have understood the shortcomings of our educational system, which needs to be in tune with the requirement of the industry so as to increase the potential towards self-employment and enterpreneurship. I have made adqeuate provision in the education sector, including medical education, of a total of Rs 2445 crore,” Parrikar said on Thursday.

In 2017, he had said that he is looking at revamping the entire Goan education system ‘to align it with the international benchmarks and bridge the academia-industry gap through formal collaboration between both.’

A budget allocation of Rs 2445 crore for 2018-19 was in keeping with his last year’s promise. Parrikar had said last year that the total spending on the education sector, including medical education and skilling represents nearly 3.6% of the GSDP. This is nearly 60% of the expected spending of the 6% of the GSDP, which is the norm being setup by educational experts and economist.

Parrikar had said that his government would try and cover up the 40% gap over the next few years, there by achieving the desired target.