Value education in Goan schools a hit: Parrikar

The Goa government is receiving "very good" response to "value education" it started imparting to the students in schools from the current academic year, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said here today.

He said even Church-run schools have demanded inclusion of value education in their curriculum.

"From the current academic year (June 2018-19), the government started teaching Value Education to children in all schools.

"We are getting so good a response that even private-aided schools, including those run by Church organisations, have demanded that they want to teach Value Education in their curriculum," the chief minister said at a meeting.

Parrikar today attended a review meeting on 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' at the Raj Bhavan in presence of Governor Mridula Sinha.

However, the CM didn't elaborate on value education and its subject matter.

He said the state government started distributing sanitary pads to girl students in schools and colleges from this academic year, with a view to educate them about personal hygiene.

The sanitary napkins are distributed free of cost.

Parrikar said the stress is given on personal as well as community hygiene.

"When we talk about 'swatchhata' (cleanliness), it is about personal as well as community hygiene," he said, adding that the problem of garbage is more serious than formalin (in fish).

The state government temporarily banned the import of fish from other states on reports that they contain formalin, a hazardous substance.

He said state Education department has included subjects like traffic, cleanliness and personal hygiene in the curriculum.

Speaking on the garbage menace, the chief minister said dumping trash on streets makes surroundings dirty which becomes a breeding ground for diseases like dengue.

"Goa generates 1,000 tonnes of garbage (per month). Garbage is a serious problem than formalin and adulteration of the food items," he said.

"You have a choice when it comes to adulteration in food items but when garbage is thrown on the road, you have no choice," the CM said.