Goa history to be part of syllabus from next year

PANAJI: The new textbook on Goa’s history, including a chapter on the Opinion Poll, being readied for implementation in Class IX by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education will not be introduced in the new academic year starting June, Goa Board chairperson Ramkrishna Samant said.
The textbook will be part of the syllabus only from 2020-21.
“The content for the textbook is ready. It has been prepared by a committee set up by the board. The content now being vetted by a team of experts who will review it. It is unlikely to be implemented this year,” he said.
At present, only a small chapter exists on Goa’s history, freedom struggle and liberation. The new content will be more detailed and will include the liberation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, history of Goa’s freedom struggle, Operation Vijay, and the history of Goa attaining statehood.
Inclusion of these crucial parts of Goa’s contemporary history in the school syllabus has been a long-standing demand of various groups in the state.
The Cuncolim revolt, the Pinto conspiracy, the Opinion Poll, and the history of the establishment of the Goa legislative assembly are some of the eight topics that will be included in Class IX history textbooks for the first time.
The board had formed a panel of historians and academics comprising Varsha Kamat, Celsa Pinto, Seema Risbud, Prajal Sakhardande, Luisa Pereira and Maria Flor to frame the new content.
Unlike before, when the chapters on Goan history were given separately to students as a supplementary text to the textbook, these eight topics on Goan history will be part of the textbook.