Konkani Education Must be Provided in National Script

These days everywhere people are busy discussing their language. While Kannadigas are planning to change Bangalore into Bengalooru, the Konkani speaking people of the state are busy assigning a script for Konkani. The community is divided in 3 groups over the issue. While some of them prefer Kannada script in Karnataka, yet others want Devnagari script. In the meantime there are some who think that Roman script could strike a balance between Kannada and Devnagari script. Each group is busy organizing workshops, symposiums to push forward their cause.

Karnataka State Konkani Language Minority Education Institutes organized a similar workshop at Shri Venkatraman Dev Educational Institute on Sunday December 11. Noted businessman from Kumta and Konkani Education Trust head Muralidhar V Prabhu presided over the workshop.

The outcome of the daylong workshop was that Konkani education must be provided in national script and not in local script keeping in mind the welfare of the language. The general opinion was that this would make all Konkani speaking people feel united since already national script is popular in Goa, Kerala and Maharashtra.

Another noted educationist from Goa, N Shivdas taught lessons in national script to the teachers who had gathered for the workshop. Discussions were also held with regard to introducing Konkani books prepared in national script in the schools from the coming academic year.

Former director of Akashvani Jayashree Shanbhog, M Prabhu of Canara College and Arun Ubhaykr of Kumta too spoke at the workshop. Dr K Mohan Pai enlightened the gathering with regard to the official process and correspondence with the government with regard to introducing Konkani in schools using national script.

Former president of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Basti Vaman Shenoy and U S Shenoy were also present on the occasion.