Goa govt denying permission to minority-run schools: Cong

Opposition Congress in Goa today alleged that the BJP-led state government was refusing permission to minority institutions for starting new schools, a charge the Education department rejected saying approvals may have been denied for "not fitting the criteria".
The state government has rejected 15 proposals by minority institutions which sought permission to start schools from the coming academic session, Goa Congress spokesperson Urfan Mulla, who also heads the minority cell of the party, alleged.
Millat Education's proposal to start schools at Vasco, Bicholim and Fatorda, Jamia Mukbulia's proposal to start a school at Ponda, National High School's application to start a new class and Sahara Institution's proposal to start schools at Fatorda and Chimbel were among those rejected by the State Education department, Mulla claimed.

The proposed schools were Urdu or Konkani medium, he said, alleging that students of the minority communities were also not getting admission in prominent private schools.
"In Salcette tehsil, over 150 students are on waiting list for primary education in prominent schools. Most of the minority students are in government primary schools," he said.
"The parents who are willing to send their children to prominent schools are demoralised because they are not getting admission," he said.

The minority institutions were not demanding grants but the government should at least give them permission to start schools, he said.
When contacted, Director of Education G P Bhat said the permissions were granted only on merit. "The institutions are not classified on whether they are run by minority or majority managements," he said.

"The permissions may not have been given because they don't fit the criteria," he added.