Media Release
 
Panaji, Nov 18: "Nursery school education is a stepping stone to individual and social growth and it was our social obligation to open avenues of education at pre-primary level at all places in Goa," said Sankalp Amonkar, youth Congress leader and chairman of the Goa horticulture department.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the formal inauguration of Blooming Dales Nursery School at Baina, Vasco.

He said that children carry whatever they pick at the nursery level throughout their lives and therefore it is important that better atmosphere of teaching is made available. Amonkar further said that he would put all possible efforts to see that various facilities which ensure human development come to Vasco town. While admiring the efforts of the management of the school, Amonkar stressed upon the need to instill a feeling of oneness in the children at a tender age so that they contribute towards building a strong and united society.
 
Noted Konkani poet Yusuf A Sheikh, who was the guest of honour, said that tiny tots are blooming buds and should be handled most delicately. “It should be remembered that it is the warmth of the human relationship that children most easily respond to,” said Sheikh and added that the love and affection they sought should be showered upon them both by the teachers and the parents. “A teacher who beats a child is not a good teacher”.

He also stressed upon counseling to all parents on how to discipline a child without beating. While speaking on the medium of instruction, Sheikh said that Vasco comprises a heterogeneous society with different linguistic groups and use of English cannot be avoided and ignored.
 

Need for integrated education
 
Yusuf Sheikh, however, said that though taken up as a necessity, English was not our culture and as such there should be an integrated system of education in English medium schools at lower level by way of which teaching of poems in Konkani and Hindi compulsorily. If local language poetry lingers in minds, there would be no danger of our culture fading away, said the poet.
 
While delivering the welcome address, Hasan Khan, manager of the school, said nursery schools are mushrooming without proper infrastructure. Opening of the schools should be only for social cause, he said and urged the gathering to come in support of his venture wholeheartedly. He expressed happiness that within a span of short period he saw a dramatic change in the behavioral attitude of the children of his school and thanked the parents for their encouraging response.

Also present on the occasion were Ashok Chodankar, editor of Konkonn Divo and several members of self-help groups.