The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : DSS against English from first standard

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 22, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

DSS against English from first standard

Staff Correspondent

MYSORE: The Dalit Sangarsha Samithi (DSS) has cautioned the Government against introducing English from first standard overcome by the tendency to embrace a language for its employment potential.

In a press release, the DSS convener, Harihar Anandswamy, and others drew attention to the recent controversy over teaching English in schools, and regretted that the proponents of "hi-tech IT culture" in Bangalore, who are supporting English, do not realise the fact that a language is also a medium of culture and not merely a means to secure employment.

Though litterateurs and intellectuals in the State have favoured the introduction of English from third standard, the Government is keen to impose the language on the ground that students from rural areas fail to secure jobs in the information technology sector owing to their lack of proficiency in English, Mr. Anandswamy said and dubbed the argument as devoid of rationality.

He expressed fears that students in rural areas may not do well in either Kannada or English as "none of the schools in the villages of the State have an environment conducive for learning." Students should be taught in Kannada and English should be introduced as a language only from third standard," he added.

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