• A total of 55 schools were covered under the Pilot Project for Teaching Konkani
• Teaching of Konkani in State Schools will commence officially from June 2007

Mangalore, Apr 1: It is teachers, who are responsible for bringing Konkani into schools. They have struggled like soldiers to teach Konkani to students, said eminent Konkani writer Dr Edward Nazareth.

He was speaking during the programme organized to mark the culmination of the year-long pilot project to teach Konkani in Schools.

At the programme organized by the Karnataka State Konkani Sahitya Academy at Kalangann on Sunday, April 1, Edward said that the teachers shoulder the responsibility to contribute to the development of Konkani. In this context a positive thought in this direction is essential, he added.

Konkani learning must be undertaken without calculating the gains or losses. It is a matter of our identity and existence of the community, he opined.

Study of English cannot be ruled out, but the knowledge of local languages is most important, Dr Nazareth said.

Eric Ozario, President of Konkani Sahitya Academy, during his introductory remarks, said “we have created history by bringing Konkani into schools. We even had to fight with politicians to reach our goal.”

Daijiworld Editor-in-Chief Walter Nandalike, Catholic Board of Education Secretary Fr Wilson D’Souza, Rachana Awardee Lancy Mascarenhas and Konkani Prachar Sanchalan President Roy Castelino were the chief guests of the programme.

Top scoring students in the Konkani annual examination and Konkani teachers were felicitated on the occasion. Varina Joslin Lobo who scored cent percent marks was awarded a cash prize of Rs 1,000 by Mandd Sobhann.

Sheela Baptist, teacher From Meramajal School was given the Best Konkani Teacher Award by Konkani Prachar Sanchalan.

Academy Registrar H S Shivarudrappa was present. Vitori Karkal compeered the programme.