Margao: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday urged teachers to take on the role of counsellors to help students chart successful career paths. He also said there is need to align educational efforts with the employment demands of the state, ensuring that a skilled workforce is available for emerging sectors.
“There are around 20,000 students in higher secondary schools and over a thousand teachers in Goa. If each teacher guides 20 students, they can play a crucial role in shaping their future,” the Chief Minister said.
He was addressing over 750 higher secondary school teachers from across Goa at the inaugural function of Kalagurujan 2025, an edu-cultural festival organised by the Higher Secondary Teachers Association of Goa (HISTAG).
He said that teachers must be the first point of contact for career guidance, making students aware of the various educational and vocational opportunities available, including the 17 trades offered by ITIs in the state. “We must understand Goa’s employment needs so we can supply the right workforce,” said Sawant.
Speaking about the need for continuous learning among educators, Sawant called on teachers to integrate innovation and technology into their teaching methods. Secretary (Education) Prasad Lolayekar spoke about the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) at the higher secondary level.
“Implementation has already started. From the next academic year, we will focus on the curriculum framework and its execution. NEP is a broad policy, and to understand it in depth, one must also study the National Credit Framework (NCRF) and the National Curriculum Framework,” he said.
HISTAG president Babaji Sawant urged to the Chief Minister to address two key concerns: improving the pay scale of higher secondary teachers and granting medical leave for terminal illnesses. Responding to the appeal, Sawant said that the issue of medical leave is already under consideration and a circular will be issued shortly, while the pay scale matter will also be looked into.
