NT Reporter
Margao
A quiet hall in Chinchinim–Deussua came alive on Saturday as schoolchildren took on the role of young policymakers, offering ideas on how to improve their village.
At the bal gram sabha organised by the local panchayat, students from Mount Mary High School and St Mary’s of the Angels Convent High School
spoke confidently about what they believed would make their schools and community better. It was inadvertently reported by this paper that students from Mount Mary’s higher secondary school had attended the bal sabha.
A bal gram sabha is like an ordinary gram sabha, but with one key difference — the voices driving it belong to children. And their participation is already shaping the village. A similar bal gram sabha held last year led to practical improvements, including compulsory dustbins in local shops and better mid-day meals in schools.
Sarpanch Frank Viegas said these changes came directly from the children’s suggestions. He praised this year’s young participants as well, noting that their recommendations could guide future upgrades in schools across Goa.
“These changes can help the students benefit in their overall performance such as smart and digital classroom, installation of solar energy, rain water harvesting, awareness on ‘no to drugs and alcohol’ and whiteboard in all classes,” he said.
The session also featured group discussions and an interactive segment, giving children space to express ideas freely and learn from one another. The panchayat will now forward the minutes to the block development officer and send the students’ suggestions to the relevant line departments.
Panchayat officials said they remain committed to empowering children and ensuring their continued involvement in shaping the community’s future. The students’ inputs will also feed into the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), reinforcing the village’s effort to make governance more inclusive — starting with its youngest citizens.
