MARGAO: The Goa Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has introduced child- friendly elements in education in South Goa —  primary government schools have been provided with funds to purchase play equipment like swings and slides.

An amount of  Rs 40,000 each has been sanctioned for introducing children’s play equipment in government primary, upper primary schools through village/ urban education committee constituted by state project director of Goa Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
According to the circular of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the village/urban education committee constituted in respective village panchayat/ municipality areas shall be the nodal body for executing and monitoring the civil work as per the guidelines laid down. Amount shall be utilized specially for the purpose for which it has been sanctioned and that no diversion of funds for any other purpose shall be allowed either by village education committee or block resource center.
The sources in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan said that the village education committee can draw the cash from the bank and place an order of equipment like swings and slides with any reputed dealer and retain the necessary vouchers.
Salcete has been sanctioned an amount of  ` 7.60,000 and 19 schools will get the benefit of the said scheme. Some village panchayat sarpanchas from Salcete said that scheme is very good.
They pointed out that they have placed orders with reputed dealers and will see that they buy good equipments.
However, two of them said that in the circular they received they discovered one address of a dealer who provides such equipment and later contacted the office to find out whether they should place orders with him but they were told that they were not aware about any such dealer and that committee can decide and place order with any dealer.
They further said that they would meet the education department officials to find out as to how an address of  a dealer got printed on the back page of said circular issued by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.