Panaji: On average, five candidates are competing for each govt primary school teacher post in Goa, with over 2,063 applicants for 390 vacancies advertised by the Goa staff selection commission (SSC).The SSC announced the recruitment of 390 govt primary school teachers, including Konkani and Marathi teachers. A total of 1,626 applications were received for Marathi teacher posts and 437 for Konkani teacher posts.State govt took the decision amid a decline in enrolment in govt primary schools, a phenomenon attributed to falling student numbers.According to Union education ministry’s Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) report for 2024-25, the number of students enrolled in private unaided schools in Goa has, for the first time, surpassed the number studying in govt-run schools.There are 41,146 students studying in Goa’s private unaided recognised institutions, compared to 35,974 students enrolled in govt schools. Goa has 773 govt schools, from primary to higher secondary level, nearly five times the number of private unaided schools, which stand at 141.The highest number of students, however, remains enrolled in the 558 privately run aided schools, with a total strength of 2,18,183 students. At the same time, there has been a visible shift of students from aided to unaided schools. Most private unaided schools are affiliated with central boards such as ICSE and CBSE. Goa also has 4,464 students enrolled in five Kendriya Vidyalayas and 779 students in two Navodaya Vidyalayas, both central govt-run school systems.Of the 141 private unaided schools in Goa, 99 are exclusively primary-level institutions, while the remaining schools also have upper primary, secondary and higher secondary sections.The previous UDISE report for 2023-24 recorded 40,810 students in private unaided schools, a number that has since increased. During the same period, enrolment in govt-aided schools declined from 2.2 lakh in 2023-24 to 2.1 lakh in the latest report. This appears to support chief minister Pramod Sawant’s statement about a gradual shift of students from govt-aided to private schools.At the official Teachers’ Day event, Sawant appealed to parents to admit children to govt-run and govt-aided schools. Sawant said many govt and aided schools have better infrastructure and teachers with the latest training compared to some private schools.
