Tuesday, Jun 21, 2005
Tuesday, Jun 21, 2005 |
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Staff Reporter
PLEA FOR ENGLISH: Members of the Federation of Educationists and Social Organisations meeting the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, R. Ramalinga Reddy, in Bangalore on Monday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan
BANGALORE: English must be taught from first standard, and parents of children going to government schools in the urban areas do not agree with the Kannada Sahitya Parishat's view that it should be taught only from third standard, the Federation of Educationists and Social Organisations has said. The members of the federation who met the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, R. Ramalinga Reddy, here on Monday and presented several arguments demanding that English be taught from first standard itself, said the policy of denying an early start in learning a new language is creating "terrible levels of uncertainty." Poor students in rural areas and the cities are unable to compete with children attending private schools, the federation representatives said. Quoting Noam Chomsky, Nataraj Huliyar of Gramarajya Vedike said children at the age of five are capable of learning three to four languages. Studies by Romain, Dryden and Genet Vos have recently proved that children exposed to more languages show better ability in learning various subjects. "With this advantage, students in private schools who start learning English at three are proficient by the time they reach fourth standard. Whereas government school children learn English only when they are in fifth standard, and they lose out on seven years, Mr. Nataraj said. The federation said there are 26,600 government primary schools where 30 lakh students are studying in the Kannada medium, and 25 lakh students are learning English from the age of three and getting an edge in science, medical, engineering, computer science and in competitive examinations. Government jobs have also become scarce, and the public sector scenario is not too good. In the last five years about 75,000 jobs have been created every year, and 70,000 jobs are available for those knowing English. With globalisation, countries such as China and Austria have introduced English as a foreign language in first standard itself. In India, States such as West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have English taught from first standard. The opinion of those working in rural areas, legislators from those areas, panchayat raj representatives and rural students have to be obtained on the issue, and the hopes and aspirations of rural children and parents must be understood, the federation said. The federation, which has as members the former Law Minister and academic A. Laxmisagar, writers Devanur Mahadeva, Kamala Hampana and Indudhar Honnapura, academic C.G. Krishnamurthy, the Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara Chairman, S.G. Siddaramaiah, and representatives of many Dalit organisations, apart from L. Hanumanthiah, MLC, warned that if English is not introduced as a subject this academic year itself, they will launch a Statewide agitation.
Cabinet to be briefed
Mr. Reddy assured them that he is keen to respond to the people's demand and will place the issue before the Cabinet at the earliest. The Minister also said that he is not in a position to introduce English from first standard, though he said there would beno administrative or manpower problem. The federation made it clear that they are for Kannada as the medium of instruction, but the Government must respond to the needs of present-day employment.
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