Panaji, Aug  2 (IBNS): Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has made a strong case for primary education in mother tongue to further create employment oppurtunities.

Responding to debate on demands for grants for education in the ongoing state legislative assembly, Parrikar said an emergency decision to make English as medium of instruction was to stop discord between two groups. 

“Government’s decision to release grant-in-aid to 126 primary schools that switched on to English medium from Konkani was to pacify both the worrying factions,” he told the House.

In the same breath, Parrikar, who also hold education portfolio strongly advocated that education be imparted in Konkani language.

“A policy is being framed to ensure that Konkani subject is made compulsory from Class fifth onwards. We should be proud of our language,” he added.

Education in the regional language, he explained, will generate employment opportunities within the state.

The Parrikar government has recently sanctioned 23 new Konkani medium primary schools and 25 new Marathi medium primary schools, while permissions for more four Konkani medium primaries and 18 medium primaries are in the process.

“We will make efforts that Konkani becomes an attractive language,” he said.

(Reporting by John Edwards)