PANAJI: Over the past decade or so, hundreds of government primary schools have either shut down for want of students, or are grappling with enrolment in single digits.
This has left the directorate of education (DoE) with ample vacant space, with questions over the maintenance of these premises.
Now, the DoE has allotted over 30 of such school buildings or vacant rooms in low-enrolment schools to the directorate of women and child development to run anganwadis.
The only condition set by the DoE is that the premises should be made available during poll time, wherever the school building is traditionally used as a polling booth.
Similarly, the government primary school building at Socorro has been allotted to the Goa Urban Development Agency to house the ‘urban homeless’.
Some years ago, a government report had shown that DoE had allotted the premises of shut government primary schools to private parties to operate gymnasiums, sports clubs, NGOs, etc, for non-educational activities.
The buildings were also allotted for nominal or no fees at all.
This move had come under criticism, and the government had gone slow since.
However, DoE was left to deal with the issue of maintenance of such premises when not in use.
Now, the directorate has allotted 47 such vacant school buildings to either run angawadis or other welfare activities.
While no rent is being charged to the directorate of women and child welfare to operate anganwadis, a nominal rent of Rs 2 per sqm is being charged to two educational trusts to run their private primary schools from the government premises.
In many places, Bal Bhavan activities are now being carried out from the schools.
In Velguem, Bicholim, a health centre of the directorate of health services is operating, while at Ghongre-Maina, an incubation centre is being run by the handicrafts corporation.
At Harijanwada in Sattari, an open library of the directorate of art and culture functions from the school building.
The biodiversity management committee for Curtorim has set up a herbal garden in the school premises.
In the government primary school building at Manora, Salcete, a police station has been established at the vacant premises, as per DoE’s records.