MYSORE: Dalit organisations from Mysore and different parts of the State will hold a demonstration outside Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's residence in Bangalore on Monday to press for the introduction of English as a language from first standard in government primary schools.

In a press statement, the Federation of Dalit Organisations Struggle for Social Justice said education experts have made a case for teaching English from first standard in government primary schools, while retaining Kannada as the medium of instruction.

Dalit leaders including Mavalli Shankar, Harihar Anandaswamy and Lakshman Hoskote said they had been campaigning for the introduction of English from first standard in government primary schools for the last one and a half years.

The campaign began during the Dharam Singh Government. Recalling Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj Horatti's promise to introduce English as a language from first standard, Dalit leaders said the State Government had failed to place the issue before the Cabinet for approval.

Accusing the State Government of postponing a decision on the issue on the pretext of a pending court case, they said teaching English as a language had no relation with Kannada as the medium of instruction.

The hurdles of introducing English as a language from first standard was part of an "upper caste" conspiracy to deprive the lower castes the benefits of knowing English.

On account of the liberalisation policy pursued by the country, multinational companies were creating jobs in the private sector. English literate graduates were lapping up all the jobs, they said. "Students from rural areas and those speaking Kannada are being rendered unemployed," they added.

Early decision

Instead of putting off the decision on the introduction of English in government schools, the State Government should take a decision on teaching English to first standard students in government schools from this academic year, the federation added.

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