Kharvi inaugurates Konkani Teachers’ Workshop at DIET

Kharvi inaugurates Konkani Teachers’ Workshop at DIET

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Sep 13: Kundapura Narayan Kharvi, the president of the Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy, said that about 1,010 students have taken Konkani as their third language in schools. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Konkani Teachers’ Workshop at DIET in Kodialbail on September 13, Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regarding the availability of text books, he said that Konkani text books are not available at any book stalls; however, they will be sent by the government according to the order placed by various schools offering Konkani as the third language. The Konkani text book for Std IX has not yet been printed, he said.

He also said that students do not take Konkani as their third language because they will not get Konkani if they have to change schools later.

Philomena Lobo, the principal of District Education and Training Centre, presided over the event and said that the government approved of the introduction of Konkani as a third language in schools in 2007; however, owing to shortage of teachers, Konkani and Hindi had to be taught together. She said that students must opt for Konkani in schools, and not Hindi or Kannada, because they can easily learn Kannada and Hindi by watching movies and television soaps.

President of the Konkani Prachara Sanchalana Roy Castelino and Secretary of Konkani Prachara Sanchalana Dr. Edward Nazareth were the chief guests of the event.

Steven Quadros Permude spoke about Konkani prose; Aloysius D’Souza spoke on Konkani poems; and Fr. Valerian Fernandes spoke on Konkani grammar.